


Tick Tock Sunflower

by Interrobanng



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Angst, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Jealous Adrien Agreste, Jealousy, LadyNoir - Freeform, Love Confessions, Marichat, Marinette is ALMOST akumatized, Meddlesome Friends, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Post-Reveal Pre-Relationship, Pre-Relationship, Romance, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-01 17:45:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17248643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interrobanng/pseuds/Interrobanng
Summary: The one where Nino makes a movie, Ladybug gets shot, Chat Noir becomes a kidnapper and Gabriel needs a vacation.Post-Reveal, Pre-Relationship. Warning: maximum fluff(references events in season 3. added a second epilogue 1/6/19)





	1. no big deal

Marinette always thought everything would change when she finally discovered the name of the boy behind Chat Noir’s mask.

But in the end, it wasn’t that big of a deal.

After the initial shock wore off (and after they had both taken some time to catalogue every misunderstanding from the past two years and wallow in their own mortification), it didn’t seem to make much of a difference now that they knew who the other was. Their teamwork and schoolwork continued the same as before, Adrien with his extra lessons and photo shoots, Marinette with her babysitting and art projects. Life continued so normally, in fact, that at times Marinette almost forgot what she knew.

The first major change either of them noticed came a few days afterwards, when the revelation was still fresh and they were still unsteady. And once they noticed it, they realized it wasn’t so major after all. They had been sitting together on a bench outside the school, discussing a class assignment that was due the following day, when an akumatized supervillain flew overhead. As pedestrians screamed and ran for cover, the two teenagers automatically began to make their excuses, only to stop and chuckle awkwardly when they realized that they didn’t need to lie anymore. At least not to each other.

It felt weird the first time they transformed together. But by the time the battle ended and they returned to that same shadowy corner behind the gym to change back, it felt as natural as breathing. After that, everything else fell into place.

Marinette started keeping a ziplock bag with emergency camembert in her locker.

Adrien made a habit of getting to school early so he could proof read her physics homework.

Ladybug found excuses for them to stay out on patrol later.

Chat made a point of handling the press so that Ladybug could get home before her parents began to worry.

Just little things. Simple gestures that made life that much easier for both of them. Their partnership was much stronger for these little changes, and Marinette could see the resulting benefits in the ease with which they were dispatching akumas these days. Paris had never been safer.

Was it selfish for her to want more?

Marinette ignored Tikki’s reproachful stare as she replayed the video clip from Chat’s press conference for the tenth time. Yet another reporter had asked if the Protectors of Paris were officially an item. Before he found out her identity, he would have winked and made some enigmatic comment about _maybe someday_.

But not anymore.

Now, he said:

_“Ladybug and me? Of course not! We’re just very good friends.”_

Okay, so Adrien didn’t love her, she knew that already. And she’d always suspected that Chat Noir was exaggerating his affections.

But it was still hard not to take his sudden lack of romantic interest personally, even three months after the revelation. She was a little surprised he had even answered the reporter’s question. On the few occasions she had managed to work up the courage to mention romanticism in any capacity, he quickly changed the subject. Hurt feelings or no, Adrien had made it abundantly clear that he did not want to discuss his past confessions or their future relationship, and it wasn’t as if Marinette could _force_ him to talk to her.

Marinette had always assumed that if the revelation changed their relationship in _any_ way, it ended with the two of them officially together and living happily ever after. But that’s not how the story went in real life. The story didn’t end with Adrien realizing that he’d been head over heels in love with Marinette this whole time and promising himself to her for always. In real life, stories _never_ ended up like that. This story ended with Chat Noir realizing that he had mistook comradery and affection for love and correcting his behavior so as to avoid any further misunderstandings.

This story ended with Marinette sucking it up and plastering on a happy smile, because that’s what her partner needed from her.

But here’s why Adrien losing interest in Ladybug once he found out she was Marinette might be the best thing that ever happened:

…well…uh…Marinette would get back to you on that one.

See, what you had to remember was that she hadn’t wanted to reveal their identities in the first place, so really it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Who cared?

What did it matter?

What did any of it matter if he didn’t love her anymore?

Assuming he ever even truly loved her to begin with?

_“Ladybug and me? Of course not! We’re just very good friends.”_

“Please, Marinette.” Tikki sighed and placed her arm on Marinette’s fingers, stopping her from clicking the mouse and replaying the video clip. Her chosen had been moping in her room for far too long. “Stop doing this to yourself.”

“I just wish I knew _why_ , Tikki.” Marinette whispered as her tears stubbornly refused to fall. Crying might help her feel better, but she was all cried out. “Why doesn’t he want me anymore?”

 

***

 

Adrien re-watched the press conference one last time before turning to Plagg.

“What do you think?” He asked.

“Mostly I think about cheese.” Plagg answered without looking up from his dinner.

“I _meant_ what do you think about how I handled the last question?”

“The one about you and Ladybug getting all gross and gooey?”

“Plagg!” Adrien flushed red.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Adrien, I was talking about sex.”

 _“Plagg!”_ Adrien groaned and hid his burning face in his hands. “That’s the exact opposite of what I want!”

Plagg put down his cheese and gave his chosen a withering glare. “Kid, we share a bedroom. I _know_ who you want to have sex with. And I’m not shaming you, I’m just saying that you’re not exactly subtle. Or quiet.”

Adrien made some strangled squeaks into his palms, but he choked down his angry retort. He knew from experience that Plagg was never going to be convinced to be more tactful about Adrien’s mortal habits, no matter how many bribes, threats or extortion tactics Adrien utilized.

“Do you think…” He whispered, closer to scared than he was willing to admit. “Do you think _she_ knows?”

That was his greatest fear, Marinette discovering his feelings for her.

“No way. Humans never pick up on that kind of thing. _You’re_ proof enough of that.”

Adrien had always assumed that finding out Ladybug’s secret identity would be the best thing that ever happened to him.

He was wrong.

Because now that he knew, he was constantly terrified.

What if he said the wrong thing? What if he did something that made her uncomfortable? What if he put them at risk?

What if she ended up wishing he was someone else?

Adrien wasn’t a complete fool. Deep down, he knew that Marinette had a crush on him as Adrien. But as Ladybug she had made it very clear that she wasn’t interested. Now Adrien didn’t know where he stood with her and that scared him. What if he couldn’t be what she needed him to be? He did everything he could to make her comfortable, hoping that if he could be the best friend and partner he could be, she wouldn’t change her mind and vanish from his life.

It had all started a few days after the revelation, when Adrien sat down with a cup of coffee and the Ladyblog archives and took a long, detailed inventory of his own behavior towards his lady.

He didn’t like what he saw.

Because now that he _knew_ it was Marinette under the mask, he could actually _see_ her. He could see all the times he put his arm around her in front of the cameras and she flinched a little before removing his limb with a wry quip. Before, when all he’d seen was Ladybug, he’d heard the quip but missed the flinch. Before, it had all been a game to him. But now he could see her squirming under her mask with every innuendo and the knowledge that _he_ had made _Marinette_ so profoundly uncomfortable was eating him alive.

He realized that Chat Noir was kind of a jerk, and the only reason he had that realization was that as he watched the videos he kept thinking _I would never say that to Marinette._

Which was also confusing in and of itself. Because knowing it was Marinette changed _everything_ , but he couldn’t explain why or how. And she handled the revelation with such ease, such aplomb, he felt guilty for feeling unsettled which in turn made him even feel more vulnerable and scared than before. He was trapped in a vicious cycle of insecurity and overcorrection.

After that realization, everything kind of fell apart for Adrien Agreste. He had always been so confident as Chat Noir, and now he was doubting _everything._ Every word, every gesture, every split second of eye contact. And it wasn’t any better when he was Adrien, because as Adrien he had to contend with his friends’ expectations.

Nino and Alya were getting impatient. And Adrien didn’t have all the details, but there was a betting pool going on amongst their classmates and Nino had hinted that it would be preferable if Adrien and Marinette could make things official before the end of the holiday break. And Adrien tried to tell him off, but Nino gave him this _look_ and said:

“Dude, it’s so obvious how you feel about her. Just _tell_ her already.”

But Adrien couldn’t do that.

Because the horrible awful shameful truth was that Adrien didn’t know how to feel about Marinette. Or about Ladybug. Or about himself. Adrien didn’t know how to feel about any of it.

Here’s what he knew:

He had fallen in love with Ladybug. Marinette had fallen in love with Adrien. Then Ladybug rejected Chat Noir and he turned to Marinette for comfort, which…awkward. In hindsight, very very very awkward. As Adrien struggled to get over Ladybug he repeatedly turned to Marinette for help, and she agreed, which…was a little strange, since he was nearly certain she still had a crush on him at that point.

Here’s what he wondered:

Why? Why had she helped him with Kagami, if she also liked him? He understood her doing that _now,_ since he was certain her crush had been snuffed out by the revelation, but why _then?_

The only answer Adrien could come up with was that Marinette had decided they were better off as friends. And she was probably right. Love fades but friendship lasts. He didn’t want to lose her…

As long as he was a good partner and a good friend, then nothing would change. And as long as nothing changed, he wouldn’t lose her.

“Do you think she’ll be okay with my answer?” Adrien asked Plagg nervously as he played the clip again.

_“Ladybug and me? Of course not! We’re just very good friends.”_

“I dunno, kid.” Plagg sighed. If he was being honest, he was equally worried about both Adrien and Marinette. They were really bungling this whole situation. Fortunately, he wasn’t Tikki and he didn’t have to be honest if he didn’t want to be. “I prefer to focus on the finer things in life.”

“You mean cheese?”

“Obviously.”

 

***

 

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

“Bye bye little butterfly.”

“Pound it.”

“Ladybug? Chat Noir? What’s going on? What am I doing here?”

Chat Noir watched Ladybug as she tended to the victim. Was it ever hard for her, he wondered, to be kind to people who just moments ago had been trying to destroy her? He knew it was sometimes hard for Marinette. He’d seen her struggle, seen her occasionally make mistakes, seen her pick herself up and pull herself together and he’d seen her work hard to set right whatever wrongs she might have done. He’d seen her forgive the unforgiveable. And he _knew_ she held onto grudges. He’d seen her bitter and stubborn and petty. But none of that was visible behind Ladybug’s mask. She was only sunshine and smiles and infinite compassion.

How did she do it? Was it hard for Marinette, being Ladybug? Did she ever get tired of being her best self on command?

There were so many questions he didn’t know how to ask.

“—Noir?”

Adrien reared back a half-step when he realized that Ladybug was asking him a question. She smiled at his obvious confusion and repeated herself.

“I’ll take the victim home if you want to go back to cla—whatever it was you were doing.”

“Oh…um…okay…”

The journey back to school seemed to take longer than usual. His transformation gave way a few minutes after the battle ended and so he had to walk most of the distance. As he walked, he wondered more about Marinette.

He didn’t get in trouble for missing classes because he always told his teachers he’d been called away by his father. There had been an incident not long after Adrien started school when one teacher followed up on his absences with Nathalie and received a strongly worded email from the desk of Gabriel Agreste (dictated but not read) explaining _exactly_ what the famous fashion designer thought of being asked to lower himself to such mundane affairs as signing excused dismissal notices. After that, no one wanted to risk another communique from Agreste Sr. So long as the school kept thinking he was working and his father kept thinking he was at school, Adrien was free to run around the city in as many skin-tight suits as he wished.

But Marinette’s situation was completely different. How did she do it? The teachers weren’t scared of her parents, and her parents weren’t totally disinterested in her school life, so how did she escape detection? Was she ever punished for performing her duties by well-meaning yet ignorant adults?

By the time he reached campus, Adrien had convinced himself that this was another thing he could do as a friend and partner to help Ladybug.

And, hopefully, to convince Marinette that he was worth keeping around.

His heart pounded as he slipped into the classroom. Ms Bustier acknowledged his return with a quirked brow and no further comment. Nino gave him a nod and that was it. Class continued as normal. Adrien waited for someone to ask where he’d been or where Marinette was, brainstorming as many different excuses as he could imagine, but no one ever asked. It was the last day of school before break. Ms Bustier assigned them an essay on ethics and dismissed them for the holidays three minutes early. Adrien remained in his seat as his classmates packed up and filed out, stunned.

Was that it? No questions? No comments? No concerns?

“Alya, would you make sure that Marinette gets the assignment?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’ll do it!” Adrien snapped out of his funk and leapt to his feet before Alya could accept the crisp sheet of paper. Ms Bustier and Alya both stared at him, arms outstretched. Adrien realized he’d been slightly more forceful than was strictly necessary and flushed. “I mean…I was headed to the bakery anyway, so…um…”

Ms Bustier took pity on him even as Alya’s stare sharpened into a probing glare.

“Perfect. Thank you, Adrien. And please tell Marinette that she can email me if she has any questions.”

“Um…” Adrien glanced nervously at Alya. A lot of the excuses he’d come up with wouldn’t get past the Ladyblogger even if she was wearing a blindfold. “About Marinette, see, the reason she wasn’t in class was…”

But Bustier waved him off. “That’s quite alright, Adrien. I know all about it.”

“You do?” He asked weakly. _Did everyone else already know?_ He wondered for one brief, irrational moment. _Am I the only one looking like a chump?_

“I’m very familiar with Marinette’s medical condition.” Bustier smiled. “But it’s wonderful to see that she has such kind friends to rely on.”

_Oh…_

Adrien relaxed. Of course Marinette already had a built in excuse. She’d been doing this a long time. Every bit as long as he had, as a matter of fact.

_Guess she doesn’t need me for this either._

Alya insisted on accompanying Adrien to the bakery, much to his polite dismay.

“So…” She drawled as they walked. Adrien immediately suspected a trap. “Any big holiday plans?”

“Not really.” He shrugged. “Dad’s going to Hong Kong in a couple days, so it’s just me and Nathalie until January. And Nathalie gets really depressed this time of year, so we don’t do much.”

“She does? How can you tell?”

“She stops working.”

“Really? What else does she do?”

“Nothing. She sits at her desk and stares at the blank monitor. Sometimes I think she’s going to cry, but she never does. It’s deeply upsetting.”

“Have you talked to her about it?”

“I’ve tried, but you know how it is at my house.”

“Yeah…speaking of talking to people about things, when are you going to talk to Marinette about your obvious burning passion for her?”

Adrien knew it was a trap.

“Alya…”

“I’m not telling you what to do, I’m only saying that the 31st is a few weeks away so chop-chop.”

“I thought you had until the end of break in the pool?”

“ _Nino_ has by the end of break. I have before the end of the year.”

“How much money are we talking, anyway?”

“Chloe put five hundred on never. We all like the odds.”

“I dunno. Stats is one of Chloe’s better subjects.”

They were almost to the bakery when Alya stopped him with a firm hand.

“I’m not joking, Adrien. You need to talk to Marinette. If you don’t like her, fine. Tell her that and stop stringing her along. But I think you _do_ like her. And Marinette won’t wait forever. So _talk_ to her.” Alya glared at him until she was satisfied he’d received the message, then nodded brusquely. “See you later, Adrien.”

She left him on the bakery doorstep, face flushed and stomach in knots. The situation was difficult enough already, but the additional pressure from their friends was what left him feeling devastated. Everyone was so certain of how he felt, but how could they be when even _he_ didn’t know how he felt?

He knew he didn’t feel _good_.

Unfortunately, there was nowhere to go but forward. Because his partner needed him to deliver her homework so she wouldn’t fail her classes. Adrien was happy to do whatever she needed from him…

But he wished that didn’t mean getting past her parents first.

Sabine greeted him with a warm smile as soon as he entered the bakery. He could hear Tom singing to the bread in the kitchen. Swallowing the bile that was rising up his throat, Adrien said hello to Sabine and asked if Marinette was home.

“No, I think she’s still at the school helping Ms Bustier pack up for the holidays.” Sabine told him cheerfully. “Would you like to wait for her upstairs?”

Adrien nodded and tried not to blush as Sabine let him into the apartment, a discomfortingly knowing twinkle in her eyes.

“Make yourself at home.” She told him. “We’ll be right downstairs if you need anything, but please help yourself to anything you like. You’re more than welcome here, Adrien.” She winked and shut the door, leaving Adrien standing in the living room with a maraschino complexion. Only after she was gone did he realize that she hadn’t asked him why he was looking for Marinette.

Ladybug had it all figured out, didn’t she?

Adrien heard a thump above his head and figured that was probably Marinette landing on her balcony. He made his way up the steps and went to knock on the trap door, only to hesitate. Should he should wait? Give her a chance to transform and collect herself in privacy? Should he leave the assignment on the kitchen table and get out while he still had his dignity? Now that he thought of it, he could have left the paper with Sabine. Or he could have let Alya bring it. What was he doing, oh god oh god, what was he even _doing_ here—

The trap door swung open and Adrien, startled, leaned back. Unfortunately, he forgot he was on the stairs and he kept going backwards as Marinette appeared in the opening. Their eyes locked as he toppled down the steps, arms wheeling as he fell, and landed heavily on the living room floor in a painful heap.

“Ouch…”

“Gerroff me you lump!”

“Adrien!”

“Plagg!”

Before Adrien could move, Marinette had scrambled down the steps and was lifting him easily onto the couch. Tikki buzzed around them as Plagg lay on the ground and moaned pathetically. He wasn’t fooling anyone. They all knew it wasn’t physically possible for Adrien to squash his kwami, even if Plagg happened to be napping in Adrien’s pocket right before he face-planted on the very solid floor.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were there! Adrien? Are you okay?” Marinette’s soft hands pressed against his cheeks as he blinked up at her, too stupefied to respond. She knelt on the floor beside the couch, leaning over him. “Are you concussed?” Her fingers ran through his hair, checking for bumps.

Adrien winced and sat up. “I’m okay.” He told her. Her hands hovered uncertainly in the air between them. “Just, y’know, _ow._ But I’m fine.”

“Okay…good.” Marinette relaxed and smiled up at him. “Whatever happened to cats always landing on their feet?”

“He did.” Plagg muttered from his sprawl on the floor. “He landed on _my_ feet.”

“Hush you.” Tikki rolled her eyes unsympathetically.

“So what’s up?” Marinette asked Adrien as she went to the kitchen and found some cookies for Tikki. Adrien watched her turn to the fridge and pull out a wheel of camembert.

_How is she always so prepared?_

“Oh…uh…I brought your homework.” He said as she returned to the living room. She put two plates on the floor for the kwamis before taking a seat on the other end of the couch. Adrien’s bag had rolled under the stairs when he fell. He retrieved it and handed Marinette her assignment. She glanced at it briefly before putting it aside and looking at him expectantly.

“Thanks.” She said. “Was that it?”

“Uh…how…how did it go with taking the victim home?”

“Oh, you know.” She shrugged. “Same as usual.”

“Right, right…” Adrien scratched the back of his neck nervously. He felt sweaty and lost. Why had he come here, again? She kept looking at him as if she was waiting for him to say something but he couldn’t remember what he had wanted to talk to her about in the first place. “Um…”

“Actually, I’m glad you’re here.” Marinette interrupted him, much to his relief and gratitude. “I wanted to talk to you about something…”

“You did?” Adrien was immediately more anxious. So far, Marinette hadn’t said anything about the future of their relationship (whatever that was or would be). But she had to be receiving the same teasing pressure from their friends and families that he was receiving. She probably wanted them off her back every bit as much as he wanted them off his. “What about?”

“You’ve been taking too many risks.”

It took Adrien a few seconds to realize she was talking about superhero stuff and not school stuff. When it finally clicked, his shoulders went back and his chin went out. “I disagree.”

“You’ve sacrificed yourself for me at least once during the last _three_ akumas. It’s too much, Adrien. I’m worried you’re pushing yourself too hard.” Marinette frowned at him.

“I’m doing my _job,_ same as you.” He said pointedly.

Her frown deepened. “Your job is to protect Paris, not me.”

“I disagree.” He repeated. “You’re the only one who can capture and purify akumas, so the best way I can protect Paris is by protecting you.”

“Okay, but I could have dodged the attack today.” Marinette argued. “You didn’t have to jump between us like that.”

Adrien shrugged, unable to explain that he had momentarily forgotten she was Ladybug, had only seen Marinette about to be blasted by a magic beam while her head was turned, and had acted on instinct.

He couldn’t tell her that, because she’d ask why he had more faith in Ladybug than in Marinette and he didn’t have an answer for that question.

“We can’t know what might have happened if I didn’t block the attack.” He said instead. “But I followed my gut and I’m not going to apologize for that.”

“I’m not asking you to apologize.” Marinette was beginning to sound frustrated. “I’m asking you to be a little more careful with your own safety and well-being.”

“Why? Because I’m Adrien Agreste? You never minded when I was just Chat Noir.”

Marinette flinched. He felt guilty, but not guilty enough to yield.

“That’s not true and you know it.”

“Do I?” He snapped, getting to his feet and striding towards the door. “Plagg, let’s go.”

“But I haven’t finished my—”

“ _Plagg.”_

Marinette’s jaw dropped as he slammed the door shut behind him. Tikki slowly drifted through the air towards the door, then turned to stare at Marinette.

“What…what the _hell_ was _that_ …”

“I have no idea.” The tiny goddess sighed. “You should probably talk to him.”

“What do you think I’ve been trying to do?!”

 

***

 

Ladybug finally found Chat Noir sulking in the shadows of a church steeple shortly before midnight.

“ _There_ you are.” She snapped as she landed behind him. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you? What the hell is wrong with you, storming off in the middle of our conversation like that?”

Chat Noir refused to look up at her, opting instead to remain crouched on the roof, staring at the river down below. A light dusting of snow had fallen half an hour before and the roof was slippery. Ladybug chose her steps carefully as she made her way over and sat down beside him.

“Chat…” She said softly, her tone gentle and forgiving. “I care about you because you’re my partner, not because of who you are under the mask. I’m sorry if I made you feel otherwise.”

“…you didn’t.”

His voice was so soft she almost missed it.

“Then what’s wrong?”

Chat turned his face a little further away from her, and it was hard not to take that personally.

“It shouldn’t matter who we are.” He muttered. “It shouldn’t make any difference. But it does.”

Ladybug stared at the lights sparkling off the river until she was certain she could speak calmly. _Talk to him,_ Tikki had said. But what would she do if talking to him led to everything falling apart?

“Do you regret learning my secret identity?”

“No.” Came the immediate reply.

“Do you regret me learning yours?”

“…I don’t know. Maybe.” He curled in on himself. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” She whispered.

“For not being the person you needed me to be. I feel like I failed you. Like I should have known sooner or I should be doing more to help you. But…but you don’t really need me, do you?”

“Of course I need you.”

“You need Chat Noir—and that’s only if Rena Rouge or Carapace aren’t available. Even Chloe will do in a pinch. You don’t need _me_.” His voice was taut with misery. “I’m useless.”

Before she knew who was under the mask, Marinette had been flummoxed by Chat Noir’s occasional bouts of self-doubt and pity. Now she added such moments to a long list of the reasons she was no longer a fan of Gabriel Agreste.

Adrien wasn’t expecting to feel her warm arms wrap around his shoulders, but he didn’t shy away from her embrace either. Ladybug swallowed her partner in the biggest, tightest hug she could muster, cradling him on the edge of the roof.

“A good friend once told me that no one is useless.” She whispered in his ear. “And for the record, I definitely would have failed that physics test last week if not for you. You’re so important and so very needed, kitty. By me, by Nino, even by your father though I know he doesn’t show it. So please stop putting my friend in unnecessary danger, okay?”

_Friend…_

Chat turned slightly so that he could hug Ladybug back. His arms looped around her waist and he pulled her closer, so that they were entirely wrapped around each other. His forehead fell into the crook of her neck and she rested her chin against his hair. He could hear her heart pounding through her suit and he felt his own pulse race to catch up. She was incredibly solid in his arms, strong and secure, like an anchor keeping him tethered in a storm.

Chat wanted to tell her that he needed her too, but he couldn’t find the words so he held her instead. His flesh warmed the longer they embraced. She emanated body heat like a furnace, despite the frigid air. Embracing Ladybug was like embracing summer in the middle of winter.

Holding Marinette was like…a sip of water after being very thirsty for a long period of time. Like relief and rain and something so awesomely delicious it defied definition.

Being held in turn was…miraculous.

And the best part was, it was just the two of them. No fathers. No friends. No kwamis. Just Ladybug and Chat Noir, Adrien and Marinette, alone in the shadows where they belonged. He could have remained there forever, but the night was cold and the hour was late and eventually they started to cramp. He tried not to whimper when she withdrew her warmth, but she heard him anyway.

Ladybug gave Chat a wry smile and caressed his cheek with one warm, red hand before she left.

“Your dad’s going to Hong Kong soon, right?”

“Yeah.”

“If you want, you could come over to my place for dinner after he leaves?”

“…yeah. Yeah, I’d like that, thank you.”

“Okay. See you soon, Chat Noir.”

“Sweet dreams, milady.”

 

***

 

Gabriel summoned Adrien to his office on the morning of his departure. Adrien expected his father merely wanted to bid him farewell, but Gabriel had other things in store.

“Nathalie tells me you are planning to attend dinner at the home of a classmate this evening.”

“Yes, father.” Adrien gulped. “You’ve met the Dupain-Chengs before, remember? They were at the Fashion Week show.”

“Indeed. And their daughter, Marinette, is the classmate in question?”

“Yes, father.”

“I see. And what precisely is the nature of your relationship with this Marinette?”

Adrien wished very hard for a hole to open in the floor and swallow him.

“We’re friends.”

“Just friends?”

“Y-yes?”

“You don’t sound very certain.” Gabriel pushed his glasses up his nose and tented his fingers, leaning back in his desk chair. “Let me get to the point, Adrien. Are you involved in a physical relationship with this girl?”

“No!”

“But you _are_ romantically involved?”

_“No!”_

“According to your teachers, you spend a tremendous amount of time with Miss Dupain-Cheng. Apparently you often assist her with a medical issue. Does that not speak to some deeper connection?”

This would be a good time for that hole to show up. Maybe there was a secret button he needed to press.

“N-no. We’re friends. Just friends.” Adrien forced himself to take a deep breath and offered what he hoped was an assuring nod.

“…I see. Because if you _were_ dating Marinette, certain precautions would need to be taken.”

“We’re not dating.” Adrien said quickly. A puzzled frown crossed his features. “Uh…when you say precautions, you mean…?”

“Nothing overly invasive or burdensome. Standard procedures, for her and her parents obviously. A background check, a non-disclosure agreement, medical screening including blood and urinary analysis—”

_“What?!”_

“—but this is moot, since as you said, you are not involved, romantically or physically, with Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” Gabriel concluded as if Adrien had not interrupted and was not gaping at him with a slightly green expression. “I hope you will remember this conversation while I am in Hong Kong, Adrien. That is all.”

Adrien was dismissed. He shuffled out of the office in a stunned daze. The embarrassment hit him as he made his way up the stairs, but the anger didn’t hit until he reached his bedroom. As soon as his door was safely shut, Plagg came zooming out of his pocket with a wicked grin.

“Wow. _Wow._ What do you think Marinette’s gonna do when you finally ask her out and then you have to follow up with ‘can I have a urinary sample?’” The kwami sniggered as Adrien groaned and collapsed on his bed. “What’s this for Adrien?” Plagg sang in a falsetto that was apparently supposed to mimic Marinette’s voice. He clasped his paws over his chest and looked up with starry eyes. “Oh Marinette, will you make me the happiest cat alive…and pee in this cup?” Plagg burst out laughing at his own joke. Adrien chucked a pillow at him but it ineffectually passed through him.

Plagg took the hint and left Adrien to wallow, and _boy_ could his chosen wallow when he wanted to. Plagg checked in every couple hours, but Adrien showed no sign of surfacing from his despondency even after Gabriel departed for his trip. Before he knew it, Plagg realized that it was almost time for dinner and he started to get worried.

“C’mon, kid. Time to get out of bed.”

“No.”

“Yes. Dinner is in an hour. You need to get dressed.”

“I’m not going.”

“What do you mean you’re not going? Of course you’re going. You _told_ her you’d be there. You have to go.”

“I’m not going.”

“Kid…is this about what your dad said? So he was a jerk, so what, no big surprise there. It’s nothing to get worked up about.”

“If I go…her parents are going to pressure me to ask her out.”

Plagg was about to say this was ridiculous, but then he thought about it for a second.

“Yeah, probably.”

“I’d have to get them to consent to a background check too.”

“…yeah, probably.”

“Marinette’s dad is _huge.”_

“…yeah…”

“I’m pretty sure her mom could drop-kick my magic-suited-ass through a brick wall. No superpowers necessary.”

“…probably…”

“I’m not going.”

“What are you going to do then?” Plagg sighed. “Stand up Ladybug and embarrass Marinette in front of her parents? Doesn’t sound like a winning strategy.”

Before Adrien could respond, there was a knock on the door.

“Adrien?” Nathalie called through the door. “It is almost time for your appointment at the Dupain-Cheng residence. Are you prepared?”

“Uh…actually, I have a headache.” Adrien called back, his voice muffled by the pillows. There was a pause from the hallway and then Nathalie said:

“Very well. I shall inform the Dupain-Cheng’s that you are not feeling well and extend your regrets. Do you require any medication?”

“No, thanks. I’m just going to sleep it off I think.” He answered. He held his breath and waited, but there was no further reply. Nathalie was gone. Adrien relaxed and rolled over onto his back. He found Plagg glaring down reproachfully from the air above his head.

“What?”

“Coward.”

“Shut up.” Adrien hissed fiercely. “I’ll make it up to her.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I will!”

“ _Sure_ you will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this fic cuz a) I wanted to take a break from Identity Reveal fics and spend some time imagining what happens afterwards and b) cuz I wanted to write a seasonal secular fic to try and counterbalance the deluge of holiday fics that always come out this time of year--for those of us who enjoy seasonally-appropriate fics as much as the next person but also get really worn down by the months of holiday cheer.


	2. bang bang

Marinette sat in her bedroom and tried not to feel sorry for herself. She was disappointed about the dinner, but there was no helping it if Adrien had a headache. They could always reschedule. It wasn’t that big a deal. She sat on her chaise and ripped stitches out of a sewing mishap while Tikki scrolled through her Netflix feed and tried to find something they would both enjoy watching.

Tikki gasped and hid when they heard a tapping on the window. Marinette instinctually reached for her fabric scissors, but she relaxed slightly when she recognized the black-clad figure knocking on her skylight. She gestured for Chat Noir to come in and he obeyed, dropping onto her bed before hopping down from the upper level.

“Evening, princess.”

“What’s going on?” She asked with an arched brow. “I thought you had a headache.”

“I know. I didn’t. I lied. I’m sorry.” Chat Noir drew a big breath and straightened his shoulders as he stood to attention in the middle of her bedroom, his tail lashing anxiously at his ankles. “I came to apologize. Properly, this time.”

Marinette and Tikki exchanged looks of equal parts puzzlement and concern as Marinette set aside her project and turned to fully face her partner. She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees.

“Okay.” She said. “I’m listening.”

“I…I haven’t been fair to you. I’ve been so confused since…well, y’know, since we found out. And I’m glad it happened, and I’m glad we’ve gotten closer, but it’s like everyone in the world and their cousin expects us to start planning our wedding and…and it’s a _lot_.” Chat took another deep breath and forged on. “My dad asked me about you this morning and it made me realize something. Well, first I freaked out for a long time, but then I realized that I…I don’t want to date you.”

For a moment, the room was dead silent.

“Great. Awesome.” Marinette’s smile had a plastic quality to it and her eyes were a little too bright, her tone a little too chipper. “ _So_ glad we had this little chat. If that’s all, it’s getting rather late. I assume you can see yourself out.”

“Wait, Marinette, please listen to me!”

“If you’re about to apologize for not being in love with me anymore, do us both a favor and stuff it.” Marinette’s smile fell away and was replaced with a ferocious scowl. “I don’t need your pity, Adrien, and I _don’t_ need your—”

“My dad wants to test your pee for drugs!”

Marinette’s jaw dropped as Adrien’s face flared red under his mask and he covered his mouth with his hands, as if he could grab the admission out of the air and put it back where it came from.

“Come again?”

“He said that if we started dating you’d have to pass a medical exam.” Adrien’s hands moved from his mouth to cover his eyes. “Including blood and urinary analysis.”

“…oh my god…”

“I _told_ him we weren’t dating but I don’t think he believed me. He all but accused me of lying to his face. Because people _notice_ that we always disappear at the same time.”

“Oh my _god_ Adrien!”

“He might try to steal your bodily fluids without your permission. I’m pretty sure he did that to all of my babysitters when I was a kid.” He peeked at her from between his fingers. “There’s more.”

“There’s _more?_ I don’t think I want to know.” She gagged. “Adrien, that is _not_ happening.”

“I know.”

“Like, that is _never_ happening.”

“I know…”

“As in, even in an infinite multiverse, there is no universe in which I _ever_ willingly hand over my _pee_ to you, or your father, or his secretary for that matter.” Marinette’s eyes were so wide they had nearly swallowed her nose. Adrien had expected her to blush, but instead she was bone-white. “Never, ever, never, _never_ nev—”

“I know, milady, I know! It’s not going to happen, okay? I promise I won’t let him do anything to you.” Chat interrupted her increasingly panicked babble by crossing the room and grabbing her shoulders. “But that’s why I don’t want to date, do you understand? Because I have _no idea_ what he’ll try next. And it’s…” He glanced over at Tikki. “It’s too risky.”

Marinette followed his gaze and Tikki, seeing them looking at her, gave them a slow, sad nod.

“He might be right, Marinette.” She said. “The last thing we want is more scrutiny. And who knows what Gabriel might be able to discover, given his resources.”

Marinette’s eyes flew back to Chat’s as his hands fell away from her shoulders. Something mysterious flickered there for an instant and then she nodded.

“Okay, I agree. Dating is off the table.”

Adrien sighed and stepped back, suppressing a shudder. Of relief or regret, he had no idea. “Okay. Good.”

“I still don’t see what you have to be sorry for.”

He smiled at her. “I’m sorry for not talking to you sooner.”

Marinette immediately softened. When he smiled at her like that, she almost forgot about the mask. How did he manage to be so irresistible even when he was rejecting her? What was she, a glutton for punishment? Was something very wrong with her?

“Do you want to stay for a bit? We’re going to eat leftovers and watch baking competition shows.”

“I’d love that.”

Yup. Something was definitely very wrong with her.

Adrien released his transformation and the four of them, Plagg, Tikki, Marinette and Adrien, all ended up snuggled in Marinette’s bed. They snacked on cookies and muffins from the bakery and watched television on her laptop. At first Adrien was worried about getting crumbs in the bed, a concern Plagg did not share. He was fascinated and a little horrified when Tikki began to prowl the sheets, stalking and nibbling the tiny crumbs as if they were aphids. Marinette was apparently so used to this behavior she didn’t even notice. Then again, Adrien had long since become immune to the stench of even the most fermented of cheeses, so who was he to judge?

Marinette seemed focused on the show, but Adrien couldn’t concentrate. He was hyper-aware of how close they were, shoulders pressed against each other, outer thighs brushing. He couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that they were _in her bed_. Sure, Plagg and Tikki were here too, but _still_. He had to keep forcefully reminding himself that they had _just_ established the _non-_ romantic nature of their relationship and that he was _fine_ with that. She seemed fine with it, so he was too.

But why did she have to be so warm? Heat emanated from her form like a siren song, urging him closer millimeter by millimeter. He was so focused on making certain the kwamis didn’t realize what he was up to, it took him a few seconds to notice when Marinette began sleepily nuzzling at his side, seeking a more comfortable cushion.

“Oh, here…” He said before he had time to overthink it, lifting his arm and allowing her head to settle on his chest. His hand fluttered down and landed on her hip. “Better?” He whispered into her hair.

“Mmm…”

Someone dropped a cake on the show and Adrien tried to focus, he _tried,_ but if it was difficult before it was impossible now. She was practically on top of him, and whenever she shifted he could feel _everything._ When he glanced down he found her eyes were drifting shut and her jaw kept falling open for a few seconds before she closed it with a snap and tried to rouse herself enough to watch the show. His pulse slowed as a fond smile appeared on his face.

“Marinette?”

“Mmm?”

“You should go to sleep.”

“Nnooo…” Marinette whined and turned her face into his chest, gripping his t-shirt a little tighter. “You’ll go ‘way if’n I sleep…”

Adrien’s eyes met Plagg’s over the top of Marinette’s head and somehow, without words, a decision was made.

“I won’t leave until you ask me to, Marinette.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky promise.” He linked their fingers together and a tiny smile appeared on her face as she closed her eyes one last time and Tikki removed the laptop from the bed.

“Okay then…g’night kitty-kitty…”

“Sweet dreams, princess.”

And that was how, completely by surprise, Chat Noir ended up spending the night in Ladybug’s bed. True, they were both fully clothed, and yes, there were two gods of creation and destruction curled in the gap between them, so it wasn’t _exactly_ as he’d always dreamed…

But it was close enough.

He didn’t think he would ever fall asleep, but then quite suddenly he did. He woke up again a few hours later when the room was pitch black and he could hear the sound of rain hitting the skylight above them. For a moment he forgot where he was and began to panic, but then he saw her. Marinette lay directly across from him, practically nose-to-nose. A tiny trickle of street lamplight oozed through the window and cast the side of Marinette’s face with rich golden highlights. One of her pigtails had fallen out and her hair sprawled across the pillow between them. Adrien stretched out his pinky—the same finger he had promised with—and twirled it around a lock of her hair. The rain came down harder, lashing the balcony above, and the wind rattled the windows. It was cold outside, but she kept him so incredibly warm. Adrien reached out his shaking fingers and gently combed them through her remaining pigtail, removing the tie and letting her hair fall across her shoulders freely. He was mesmerized by the feel of her black tresses flowing over his hand. His breath hitched in his throat when she sighed in her sleep and leaned into his touch.

A tiny flutter of movement caught his attention and his gaze flicked upwards to find Tikki watching him from the top of the pillow. Her eyes were huge and bright in the darkness. She blinked once, slowly and purposefully, and then settled down again next to Plagg—who remained blissfully oblivious to the waking world. Tikki’s eyes closed most of the way, but remained open a tiny sapphire sliver. She was still watching.

Adrien was trying to decide if he should feel embarrassed or not when he fell asleep again.

 

***

 

Nino rubbed his hands together and blew inbetween them as he entered the bakery. It was bitterly cold that morning and he sighed with relief as the warmth from the bread ovens washed over him.

“Morning, Nino.” Sabine smiled at him from behind the counter. “What brings you here so early?”

“I’m here to pick up Marinette.” He explained. “She’s helping me out today with a film project.”

“You kids keep making movies, but I never get to see them.” Sabine pouted. “When are you going to have a screening?”

Nino, who knew perfectly well why Marinette didn’t want her parents to see _this_ particular movie, grinned and said, “Soon, soon. So can I go on up?”

“Go ahead. I’m pretty sure Marinette’s awake. Check her room if you don’t see her in the kitchen.”

Nino nodded and headed up the stairs to the upper-floor apartment. When he did not find Marinette in the kitchen, he obediently followed Sabine’s instructions and headed up the steps. He opened the trap door and immediately spotted a large lump in the bed. Nino smirked and shook his head as he tip-toed up the ladder towards the bed, fully intending to awaken Marinette by jumping on the bed and shouting “You’re late! You’re late! For a very important date!” which he knew was sure to annoy her and make her scream with surprise and/or/also rage.

The joke was on him though, because when Nino got to the top of the ladder it was the young aspiring director who screamed with surprise.

Marinette and Adrien sat straight up in the bed, both blinking sleepily and reaching for weapons that weren’t there. The kwamis had already vanished, dematerializing through the mattress and hiding under the bed as soon as they heard Nino enter. Their human companions were unable to hide, however, and certain conclusions were immediately jumped to.

“Nino?!”

“Oh my god Nino WHY ARE YOU IN MY ROOM?!”

“EEEEEEEE it’s finally happening! Oh my god I can’t believe this! I have to call _everybody._ ”

Marinette reacted in the blink of an eye. She leapt out of the bed and launched herself at Nino while his phone was only halfway out of his pocket. She tackled him to the floor below and straddled his waist, pinning his hands above his head with one of hers as she snarled.

“You’re not going to tell anyone anything because this isn’t what it looks like and you’ve got nothing to tell.”

“Uh…milady?” Adrien said weakly as he flopped over the edge of the bed and looked down at them. “I think he was talking about betting pool stuff, not…other stuff.”

“Oh…” Marinette relaxed slightly when she realized they had not both been exposed as superheroes. Then she tensed up again when she realized what Adrien and Nino meant. “Oh.”

“Other stuff? There’s other stuff? What kind of other stuff? Oh my god…” Nino’s eyes went wide as he stared up at her. “Marinette…are you pregnant?”

Marinette blinked. _What a way to wake up in the morning…_

“Yeah, sure. You caught me, Nino. I’m pregnant.”

_“What?!”_

“No!” Marinette barked at the red-faced boy currently flailing in her bed. “Obviously I’m joking. Pull it together, Adrien, jeez.” She focused on the victim pinned between her knees. “Seriously, Nino, what the hell are you doing in my room?”

“We have a date, remember?” He smirked up at her.

Marinette frowned. “What are you—oh. Oh, shoot. The film. Right. What time is it?”

“A little after 8:45.”

“Dammit. I’m so sorry, Nino, I totally forgot to set my alarm. Let me get changed and I’ll meet you downstairs.” Marinette got to her feet and helped Nino up. He accepted her hand and stood up with a cheerful nod.

“Sure. C’mon, Adrien, let’s give Marinette some privacy.”

“Uh…”

Marinette and Adrien glanced nervously at each other as he slipped down the railing. Nino was disappointed to realize that they were both fully dressed in what were clearly the clothes they’d been wearing yesterday. He perked up when he realized a possible cause for their hesitation.

“Wait…” He looked between them excitedly. “Do Marinette’s parents not know Adrien’s here?” Their guilty expressions said it all. “Aw, _dude!”_ Nino chortled, slapping Adrien on the back. “I’m so proud of you, buddy!”

“Nino, it’s _really_ not what you think.” Adrien tried to explain but Nino was laughing too hard to listen. “Kind of the exact opposite, in fact.”

“Don’t bother.” Marinette grumbled softly so that only Adrien could hear. “People see what they want to see.”

_What does that mean?_

“I’m sorry, Adrien.” Marinette added in a louder voice. “I totally forgot I promised Nino I’d act in his new film project today. I hate to ask, but…I kind of need you to leave.”

“As you wish, princess.” Adrine replied with a secret twinkle in his eye that was only meant for her. He pushed Nino towards the door. Marinette heard Nino say _“Princess?_ Oh là là!” before the wooden trap closed with a snap. She heaved a sigh of relief and turned to face the kwamis as they rose from under the bed.

“So…” She placed her hands on her hips. “Any bright ideas for how to get Adrien the rest of the way out of the apartment without either of my parents seeing?”

 

***

 

Marinette didn’t see Adrien again until almost a week later. She certainly wasn’t pining for him in the interim, no sir. She had helping out at the bakery and Nino’s film project and her essay and her sewing to fill her time. Normally she would have had akumas to fight as well, but Hawk Moth had been unusually quiet since the start of holiday break. Perhaps he’d decided to make like his namesake and migrate south for the winter. She didn’t miss the akumas, though she would have relished the chance to take out some of her frustration on some random costumed supervillain.

_It doesn’t even have to be a particularly evil villain. Just please give me something I can hit._

It was so much easier to hit her problems than it was trying to work through them.

Adrien didn’t love her and he didn’t want to date her, and he had all kinds of reasons and some of them were good reasons, but those reasons didn’t change the reality that _he_ _didn’t want her._

So. Okay. Whatever. She already knew that.

And she. Was. _Fine._

Or, at least, she _would_ be. Eventually. Probably. Hopefully.

She had to start feeling better at _some_ point, right?

It wasn’t as if she could feel much worse.

Keeping busy helped and so Marinette threw herself into her work. The film project was more time-consuming than she’d expected, and it was surprisingly enjoyable. Normally she clashed with Nino at every opportunity when they worked together, but this time she followed his direction to the letter and delivered crowd-pleasing performances. A lot of that had to do with her co-star, Luka. He had a way of keeping the peace on set that brought out the best in everyone. Marinette deeply admired him for it. She liked to watch him interact with people, trying to study his mannerisms in the hopes that, one day, Ladybug could be an equally soothing presence.

Nino had agreed not to tell absolutely everyone about finding Adrien in Marinette’s bed that morning, but she hadn’t been able to prevent him from telling Alya. Marinette’s best friend had been walking around with a smug expression ever since.

“Secret dating? It’s so romantic.” Alya sighed one day as they picked up coffee for the film crew. “I almost don’t care about the bet money.”

“I’ve told you a million times, Adrien and I are _friends.”_

“Friends who have sleepovers.”

“You and I have sleepovers all the time. No one’s ever accused _us_ of getting frisky.”

“No, but that’s because heteronormativity is a thing.” Alya shrugged.

“A thing?” Marinette giggled skeptically.

“Uh-huh. A thing. Just a thing, out here, ruining people’s lives, letting teenagers get away with sleepover sex all over the place…”

“Alya! There was never any sex!”

“Then seriously, what were you even doing with Adrien Agreste in your bed all night?”

_“Alyaaaaa!”_

Alya continued to tease Marinette mercilessly as they collected their drink order and headed back into the street. Marinette tried to explain that Adrien had actually rejected her that night, and that nothing romantic was _ever_ going to happen between them, but Alya refused to hear it. Marinette couldn’t bring herself to argue the point. It was too painful a conversation.

They were a few more minutes away from the location where Nino was making his film when they were brought up short by bangs and screaming.

“Akuma.” They said in unison.

“You go hide, Marinette.” Alya instructed her as she pulled out her phone. “I’m going to try to get a closer look.”

“Be careful.” Marinette knew better than to try and convince Alya to hide somewhere safe during an akuma battle. The two friends gave each other a quick hug and Alya headed down the street towards the screams as Marinette ducked into a nearby alley. She glanced around and made sure she was alone before transforming and emerging again as Ladybug.

She soon discovered that the source of the bangs and screams was not an akumatized supervillain, but rather a mundane, though poorly-planned, robbery. She chased the armed burglar away from the shops and crowds and cornered him under a bridge by the canal.

“Give yourself up.” She advised as she approached him cautiously. “It’s for the best.”

“N-no!” The man cried as he backed up against the wall and pointed his weapon at her chest. “St-stay away!”

Ladybug could see how his hand was shaking and she stopped moving. She didn’t want to spook him, lest he accidentally pulled the trigger.

“What’s your name?” She asked softly.

“Wh-why do you c-care?”

“Because I want to talk to you and it’ll be so much easier if I know your name.”

“Y-yeah, well, I don’t think—hey! I see you!” The gun was suddenly pointed up and to the side, towards the street above them. Ladybug’s head turned just in time to see a flicker of familiar red hair. _Alya!_

His finger twitched.

She jumped.

_BANG_

 

***

 

A few minutes later and on the other side of the city, Adrien finished changing out of his fencing gear and emerged from the locker room to find his teammates huddled around a phone. Fencing training continued through the holiday break, and Adrien was eager to be done for the day. He had decided to transform into Chat Noir that evening and blow off some steam, akuma or no. He was eager to escape his civilian confines, but he stopped to find out what all the fuss was about.

Someone handed him the phone and he hit play on the video clip loaded on the screen. The image was blurry at first as the person taking the video tried to adjust the focus. He heard someone say to get away from the canal and then he heard what sounded like Alya’s voice telling that someone to mind their own business. The image came into focus and Adrien recognized Ladybug confronting an armed assailant by the canal.

“When was this taken?” He asked, his eyes widening and his heart racing.

“Twenty minutes ago, maybe?” One of his teammates shrugged.

Adrien watched, fingers tightening around the phone, as Alya tried to get a better angle and the assailant noticed her. He saw the man point his gun towards the camera. He saw Ladybug jump. He heard the bang.

He almost screamed when Ladybug fell down, kneeling on the pavement, her hands covering her stomach. She’d been hit. She’d been _hit._ Ladybug had been _shot._

_That guy just shot Marinette!_

“This is where it gets awesome…” One of his teammates grinned, but Adrien barely registered the words.

He did, however, see Ladybug straighten up, grin at her attacker, and allow a tiny silver bullet to fall out of her hand and roll across the pavement into the canal.

“She _caught the fricken bullet_ , man.” Another teammate shook his head with awe. “Out of _mid-air,_ bro.”

“Ladybug is so bad ass.” A third teammate agreed.

Adrien felt like he was going to be sick.

 

***

 

“Okay, that’s a wrap!”

“Finally.”

“Aww, don’t say that. This was fun!”

“It was a pain in the ass is what it was.”

“I’m going to miss all the pretty costumes!”

“Tell you what I’m _not_ going to miss—Nino yelling at me that my face is wrong every five minutes.”

Unfortunately, Nino heard Alix’s complaint and he shouted from the other side of the deck, “That’s because your _face_ is _wrong!”_

“Your _brain_ is _wrong_ what’s your excuse?!” She hollered back.

Marinette chuckled and shook her head over her friends’ playful ribbing. Helping with Nino’s movie had been fun, and a good excuse to hang out as a group, but she was more inclined to share Alix’s relief that the project was over than Rose’s perpetual optimism. They had used Juleka’s houseboat as a stage, sailing it to different parts of the city over the course of the last few weeks. Now Marinette helped Luka roll up the backdrop they had used for the forest scenes as the rest of the cast and crew packed up equipment and gossiped and hung around because none of them had anything better to do.

“Are you and Juleka excited to get your home back to yourselves?” Marinette asked Luka teasingly.

“Yeah.” He gave her a tired smile. “This has been fun, but it’ll be nice not to have to worry about tripping over props every time I get up to use the bathroom in the night.” Marinette giggled and he winked at her. “One thing I’ll miss is getting to spend so much time with you.”

Marinette turned red and stared at him with trapped bunny eyes for a few seconds before her brow furrowed suspiciously.

“You’re teasing me again.”

Luka laughed as Marinette gave him a playful shove.

“A bit.” He admitted. “You make it too easy.”

Marinette stuck her tongue out at the older boy, which only made him laugh harder.

When they finished rolling the canvass, Luka cleared his throat.

“Marinette, I was wondering—since we got on so well with the acting and stuff—I was wondering if maybe sometime you might like to—”

_Whoosh_

Luka blinked at the empty space that Marinette had occupied only a second ago.

“Where’d you go?” He stood up and, just in case, peered over the side of the boat. He saw nothing. “Where’d she go?”

“Something wrong?” Nino had noticed Luka’s search and had come to investigate.

“Marinette…”

“What about her?”

“She kind of…just…like…dematerialized?”

“Huh…” Nino stared at Luka for a few seconds, then scratched at the hair poking out from under his cap. “Well…that’s new.”

 

***

 

“What the _hell_ Chat. You can’t just _grab_ me like that.”

“Take off your clothes.”

 _“Excuse_ me?”

“Marinette! I know you got shot! Now take off your shirt and let me see.”

 After snatching her from the deck of the Liberty, Adrien had carried Marinette to a sheltered rooftop not far from the river. They were surrounded on every side by thick smokestacks and there was very little chance of being discovered. He had her backed against a chimney, his clawed hands lightly tugging on her jacket, determined and insistent but not forceful.

“I’m _fine_ , kitty.” She pushed him away. “It wasn’t that big a deal.”

“Not a big deal?! You were _shot!_ With a _gun!”_ His hands returned to fiddling with her zipper.

“Chat—”

_“Marinette.”_

“Marinette, maybe you should let him look?” Tikki chirped as she whizzed out of Marinette’s purse and buzzed around their heads.

“But—”

Marinette’s protestations were cut off by a hiss of pain as Chat’s hands brushed against the sensitive spot on her stomach. He pulled back immediately, his eyes wide and horrified. Marinette gulped.

“Really, Adrien, it’s not that big a de—”

_“Let. Me. See.”_

Marinette bit her lip and, realizing there was no way to avoid it, lifted her jacket and her shirt enough for him to see the softball-sized red mark slightly to the left of her bellybutton.

“It’ll leave a bruise. That’s all.” She whispered as Chat fell to his knees before her. “See? I told you it’s not that big a deal.” Trembling claws wrapped around her hips. Chat held her in place as he examined the mark. She shivered at the sensation of his hot breath fluttering across her exposed skin. “Chat?”

“…he hurt you…”

“He didn’t mean to. He was scared. And he’s in police custody now, so that’s the end of it.”

“And the suit protected her.” Tikki added. “You can see for yourself, Adrien. Marinette is going to be alright. There’s no need to fret.”

But Adrien clearly did not see things that way.

He couldn’t stop shaking. Something cherished had been unexpectedly threatened and he was left feeling vulnerable and exposed as never before. Tikki kept trying to comfort him, but he closed his eyes and shook his head and refused to let go of Marinette’s hips. She let her clothes drop down and he buried his face in her right side, careful to avoid the developing bruise. His breath came in short, stuttering gulps. Marinette and Tikki exchanged worried glances and Marinette slid her arms around his shoulders, trying to hug him back as best as she was able. It was mostly awkward.

“I should have been there…”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Marinette scoffed, her disgruntled tone belied by her affectionate smile. “I’m more than capable of taking care of one measly burglar by myself.”

“But you’re _hurt_ …”

“It’s only a bruise.” Marinette snorted. “I fall off the ladder to my bed roughly three times a week. Bruises are my lot in life.” She gently slid her fingers under his chin and lifted his face to meet her gaze. “I’m _fine,_ Chat. You have nothing to worry about. I promise that I’m not going to up and die on you.”

Chat’s mouth twisted. “That’s not a promise you can make.”

“Sure I can.” She grinned. “I’m a superhero. Laughing in the face of certain doom is one of the perks.” A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Chat’s mouth and Marinette’s eyes softened. “C’mere, kitty.”

Chat rose to his feet and allowed Marinette to pull him into her arms. She wrapped herself around him as he clung to her and pressed his face to the pulse point in her neck. Once he could feel her heartbeat pattering against his skin he finally began to relax, was finally able to believe that she wasn’t gone or damaged.

“I’m sorry for worrying you.” She whispered. “But it’s okay now.”

She sounded so confident, Marinette almost believed it herself.

 

***

 

_“Marinette? Marinette!”_

The girl in question jostled Adrien with her elbow. “See what you’ve done?” She asked, pointing towards their friends who were searching the waterfront for her. Though most of the cast and crew had gone home by the time Chat brought Marinette back to where he’d found her and dropped his transformation, Nino and Rose had remained and joined Luka and Juleka in searching for the missing class president. “We could have avoided all of this if you’d only texted me or something before dropping out of the sky and running off with me.” From their lookout on the bridge over the canal, Adrien and Marinette could clearly see their friends spread out amongst the houseboats and leisure yachts, their hands cupped around their faces as they called Marinette’s name.

_“Marineeeeeeeeeette!”_

“What are we going to tell them?” Adrien sighed as they crossed the bridge.

“We could tell them that I fell in the Seine and you dragged me to shore.”

“They’ll ask why you’re not wet. Also, it’s the middle of December. You wouldn’t be walking back with me; you’d be in the hospital. What if we told them that Chat Noir needed both of us for a secret mission? That’s nice and vague.”

“It _might_ work. But Nino’s there and ever since he became Cara—uhhhh—ing of Alya he tells her _everything._ We’d have to be prepared for a follow up blog post on this alleged secret mission.”

“Something else then. What about an old favorite, tried and true, you briefly fell into a wormhole through space and time and you can’t talk about it because if you did everybody’s grandkids would drop dead in sixty years?”

“Oohh, I would, but I used that on Juleka last week. What about amnesia?”

“That could do the trick. It usually does. I’m terrified of the day someone actually researches amnesia and realizes that’s not at all how it works.”

“I know—right? My mom loves science podcasts. I have to go through her iTunes before she wakes up and delete any amnesia or wormhole-related episodes before she can listen to them.” Marinette sighed as they began walking down the stone stairs to the dock. “Keeping my friends and family in the dark is _exhausting.”_

“You’re preaching to the choir.” Adrien muttered.

“Marinette!”

Up ahead, Nino and Rose had caught sight of them. They ran towards the couple, waving ecstatically, the siblings close behind.

“Amnesia it is then.” Marinette decided quickly as she plastered on a happy smile. Adrien took a half-step closer to her and nodded, a silent and supportive presence at her side. He put out an arm to stabilize her as Rose launched herself at Marinette, wrapping her arms around Marinette’s neck and crying in delight.

“Marinette! What happened? Are you alright?” Luka asked.

“We were worried.” Juleka muttered.

“Yeah.” Nino nodded in agreement, glancing curiously between Marinette and Adrien. “Luka said you just up and vanished. Like, _poof_ , one second you were there and the next you were gone. Everything okay?”

“Uh…” Marinette’s smile wavered slightly as she tried to dislodge Rose’s stranglehold.

“Give her some room.” Adrien stepped in, easing Rose off their friend. “She’s fine, a bit shaken up but she’s fine.” Marinette flashed him a grateful look. Her gratitude turned to disgruntled amusement when he muttered, quietly so only she could hear, “I made sure of that.”

“So what happened?” Nino pressed.

“I’m not sure exactly.” Marinette’s acting was perfect. A little heavy-handed, but very convincing. “I remember being on the boat, and talking to Luka, and the next thing I remember is standing outside that café on Rue de Rivoli—you know the one, Rose, we went there with Mylene last week?”

Rose nodded. Adrien admired Marinette’s skill. It was these relatable details that made her story so convincing.

“I have no idea how I got there. Obviously I was somewhat upset at the time. Luckily Adrien was walking by and he helped me collect myself. Then we came back here.” Marinette batted her eyelashes at her concerned friends. “Honestly…all I want to do is put this whole thing behind me and pretend that nothing ever happened.”

“Alright…if you’re sure…” Luka replied slowly. It was clear he had doubts about Marinette’s story, but he was too much of a gentleman to pressure her for information she obviously did not want to share. And two years of regular supervillain attacks had inoculated them against all that was weird and unexplainable. “But you should take it easy for the rest of the day. Do you want a ride home?”

“Oh…uh…” Marinette looked at Adrien, a question in her eyes. He didn’t understand the question, had no idea why she was looking at him as if she wanted his permission or something, and he wasn’t entirely certain what Luka meant by giving Marinette a ride home. But Marinette was still looking at him, still questioning, still waiting for an answer, and for lack of a better one he gave her an encouraging nod. He thought he saw something slam shut in her eyes but she was already turning away before he could be certain. “That would be wonderful, thanks Luka. Bye, everybody, I’ll see you all soon.”

Juleka and Rose followed Marinette and Luka but Nino and Adrien lingered. Nino crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

“What?” Adrien asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

“Did you know that Luka has a motorcycle?” Nino asked, voice calm and level.

“No.” Adrien huffed. “Good for him.”

“According to Alya, Marinette secretly thinks it’s kind of hot.”

“…so?”

“Adrien…I love you, dude…but sometimes…” Nino sighed and placed his hand on Adrien’s shoulder. “You are a colossal schmuck.”

 


	3. moving pictures

They agreed not to meet during the holidays.

Marinette was extremely busy in the bakery. Normally her parents hired extra help during the holiday season, but this year they were unable to afford it due to the lost revenue from all the akuma attacks. It fell upon Marinette to pick up the slack. She barely had time to sleep, forget about transforming. Tikki was content to loaf around her room in a blissed-out discarded-holiday-cookie daze.

As for Adrien…

Adrien didn’t want to get in the way.

Plus, he had that essay to write. And some other work for his Chinese classes. And there were some company functions that required his attendance. Yes, he assured her, he too was extremely busy.

Also, and this part he did not tell her, it seemed like a lot of pressure.

Neither of them particularly enjoyed the season. For Marinette, it was a time of constant stress and exertion, of aching feet and flour-clogged eyebrows. For Adrien, it was a time of loneliness and bitter silence.

They did not see each other again until the 31st.

 

***

 

Nino paced the length of the cabin, fiddling nervously with his cap.

“What if people don’t like it?” He asked for the umpteenth time.

Adrien rolled his eyes. “First of all, of course they’ll like it because you’re a genius.” He winked. “And second of all, of course they’ll like it because they’re all _in_ it so liking it is basically a requirement.”

“I dunno, man. I mean, when I was in the editing room I thought the whole thing was golden, but now I’m realizing it might be…a little out there.”

Adrien smirked. “Is it more out there than the last movie you made about a sad clown who fell in love with a tamagotchi?”

“That was a commentary on social alienation, technology and mass communication, and it wasn’t _that_ weird!”

“What did the short film contest admissions people say again? Oh, right, they called it uncomfortable, depressing and occasionally nauseating.”

“Is this supposed to be helping?”

“I’m just saying, the bar is low. So relax, you’ll be fine.”

A soft knock cut off Nino’s response and the two boys looked up as Juleka peeked her head into the room.

“Um…you ready?” She muttered.

Nino turned green and looked like he might try to hide under Luka’s bed, so Adrien grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door.

“Chill, dude.” He advised. “It’s only friends and family out there. No big deal, right?”

“Right.” Nino took a deep breath and steeled himself. “Right.”

They emerged onto the deck and were greeted by thunderous applause. The entire class had gathered, minus Chloe who was on vacation in Morocco. Many had brought friends from other parts of their lives. Luka’s bandmates had shown up as well, cool as frostbite in their seasonally inappropriate leather jackets. They were all huddled in a cluster around a space heater set up near the bow. Adrien spotted Alya’s older sister, Nora, next, and it appeared that she had brought some of her boxing buddies. Looking around at the crowd, Adrien realized he only knew about half the people in attendance.

Excitement trickled through his veins. He’d been to parties before, sure, but this was going to be his first ever actually _cool_ party.

 _Act suave._ Adrien told himself firmly. _Don’t be a jerk. Don’t be too enthusiastic._

Okay, so maybe Adrien was slightly scarred by the birthday party the Bubbler had once thrown for him. It wasn’t a big deal, he just didn’t want a repeat of that experience. Or the guilty squeamish stomachache that had come with it.

A screen and projector were set up on one side of the boat. Nino walked in front of the screen and took off his cap, twisting it nervously and clearing his throat as the crowd began to settle.

“Adrien! Over here!”

Alya waved to him from a pile of cushions. Marinette was seated next to her, bundled up in a puffy, fleece-lined coat. She smiled up at him as he approached.

“Hi.” She said softly as he took a seat on the pillow next to her.

“Hi…” He smiled back. It was good to see her again. He was already feeling warmer. “Um…” He wanted to keep her talking; wanted to keep her attention on him. “Did…did you have a good holiday?”

“Not really.” Marinette wrinkled her nose. “You?”

“Same. So what’s this movie about, anyway? Every time I asked Nino, he told me a totally different plot.”

“Yeah, there were a _lot_ of script revisions. I think it ended up being like…a steampunk Rapunzel murder mystery?”

“Wow…”

“I know.”

“It’s a brilliant film.” Alya chirped, happily defending her boyfriend’s honor. “And the director is a visionary. Malt ball?” She offered them a small paper bag of candies and they gratefully accepted her offer. “Oh, hey—show Adrien the thing.”

“What thing?” Marinette cocked her head curiously.

“That thing you do with Luka.”

“Oh, that thing. Hey, Luka!”

Adrien blinked as Luka walked away from his friends by the space heater and came over to them. He blinked again when Marinette shook the bag of malt balls and said:

“Think you can do three in a row?”

Luka grinned. “Go for it.”

Marinette pulled three malt balls out of the bag and lobbed them at Luka in quick succession. They gracefully arched through the air, nearly invisible in the gloom, but Luka snatched them between his teeth with an almost languid ease. Marinette giggled and Luka clapped his hands, pleased with himself.

“Winner.” He said through a mouthful of chocolate, walking backwards towards his friends. Marinette shook her head fondly as Alya reached behind her and tapped Adrien on the shoulder. He leaned back so he could meet Alya’s scorching gaze.

“They have a _thing._ ” She said pointedly. “Tic toc, sunflower.”

Adrien was saved from having to respond by Nino clearing his throat one last time and shouting:

“Alright, alright, alright! Settle down everybody!” The crowd obediently hushed. “So, uh, yeah! Thanks for coming tonight. This is the world premiere of my latest film, _Coca Cola Is The Devil._ It’s kind of like a metaphor for climate change, but told through the form of a fairy tale. Also it’s about why we probably shouldn’t colonize Mars. A lot of us here tonight worked on it, so please keep that in mind when you offer constructive compliments.” A generous titter went through the crowd at the extremely weak attempt at humor. Nino looked like he might drown in his own nervous sweat. Alya got up and twirled her fingers, mouthing _wrap it up_ as obviously as she could. Nino caught her eye and nodded furiously. “So, uh, yeah! Without further ado!”

Nothing happened.

“Oh, uh, yeah, I guess I have to hit the button, uh…how do you work this thing? Does anyone know how the projector—oh! Here it is. Okay, it’s starting, it’s starting! Everybody shut up!”

The screen turned black, then flickered, and an old fashioned train pulled into a black and white station. Adrien could see the tiny stock image watermark in the corner.

Nino’s film was…not great. But it was enjoyable for everyone present.

The plot made no sense and the camera work was shaky. Luka played a prince whose emotional journey was represented by the Coca Cola polar bear mascot trapped on an ever shrinking iceberg. The polar bear sequences were animated and hand-drawn by Nathaniel. They were beautiful, but they didn’t make much sense with the rest of the story. Which seemed to gyrate wildly from a buddy-cop story starring Alix and Rose about aliens invading Paris, and then back to Luka the prince who was trying to find his lost princess in the desert. But also Luka was a time traveler? Marinette played the princess, and she spent most of her time talking to the imaginary polar bear. Which was a shame, since the polar bear was a blatant trademark violation.

By the time Ivan showed up as a sentient asteroid come to teach humanity about the long-term limitations of geothermal energy, Adrien had completely lost the narrative. He decided to focus on the audience instead.

Specifically, he decided to focus on Marinette.

Her hand was curled under her chin and her elbows were propped on her knees. Her eyes sparkled as she watched the film, laughing at all the right and wrong parts. She didn’t seem to mind that the story made no sense. They had all had fun making it, which was what really mattered. Adrien thought he’d never seen anything so precious as Marinette, bundled in her fuzzy coat and curled on a mountain of cushions, giggling and wrinkling her nose. A current of cold wind brushed against their backs and she shivered. Adrien’s heart leapt into his throat as he shifted towards her and slowly eased his arm around her shoulders. Marinette glanced at him questioningly and he hesitated, waiting for her to give some signal that it was okay to proceed.

Suddenly the crowd erupted in cheers and laughs and wolf whistles and everyone in the audience was turning around to look at them. Adrien jerked away from Marinette, face burning.

But it wasn’t him they were jeering at.

Adrien’s eyes darted up to the screen in time to catch the last few seconds of an overly-theatrical, over-acted, and overblown kiss—as in hand-on-waist, tongues-out, deep-dip at sunset kind of kiss—starring Prince Luka and Princess Marinette. Then the screen flickered back to the cartoon polar bear, who was desperately trying to stay balanced on an ice cube. Adrien’s eyes shifted back to Marinette. She was blushing a deep red and hiding her face in her hands, but he could see her grinning and laughing along.

She was fine with this.

Adrien’s heart began racing even faster. He told himself not to look at Luka, but his gaze was drawn to the huddled musicians anyway. Luka was looking back, watching Marinette watch the movie with a smile on his face and hope in his eyes.

And why shouldn't he have hope? Chat Noir made Marinette uncomfortable. Luka clearly did not.

It was too much.

Adrien surged to his feet and walked towards the cabin.

“Where are you going?” Alya asked as he passed her.

“Bathroom.” He grunted in reply.

“Uh- _huh.”_

Adrien ignored the skepticism in her tone as well as the sniggers coming from his pocket.

 

***

 

When the film ended and the crowd cheered and Nino took his bow and Adrien still hadn’t returned, Marinette went looking for him. She found him leaning over the railing on the upper level of the boat, where it was quiet and dark. She paused at the top of the stairs, watching him. She could see his mouth moving but she couldn’t hear what he was saying. She assumed he was talking to Plagg.

“Adrien?” She asked softly as she approached him. “Is everything alright?”

He jerked upright and spun around. He clearly hadn’t heard her coming.

“Everything’s _fine.”_ He huffed once he’d recovered from his surprise, crossing his arms. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Marinette’s steps faltered. “Okay…” She said slowly, uncertainly. “Do you want to come back to the party with me?”

“You can go without me. We don’t need to go together. It’s not like we’re a _couple._ ”

Marinette reared back as if he’d struck her, shocked by the venom dripping from his words. Her jaw fell open and she goggled at him in stunned silence for a few seconds.

It had been _months_ since he’d used that tone with her, even before the reveal. But she recognized it, oh yes, she knew his patterns as well as she knew her own.

“Are you upset because I kissed Luka in Nino’s movie?”

It was Adrien’s turn to flinch.

“I couldn’t care less.”

“Please don’t get all pouty on me, kitt—”

“I _don’t_ get all _pouty._ ” He spat, and she could almost see his pointy ears pressed flat and his tail lashing furiously behind him. His arms were crossed so tight she wondered if it hurt.

“I can’t deal with you when you’re like this.” Marinette shook her head and walked away. “Plagg, try and talk some sense into him, okay?”

“I’ll do my best.” Came the grumbled reply from Adrien’s pocket, much to Adrien’s chagrin.

Marinette returned to the party and made her way towards the punch bowl. It was a struggle to keep her features under control, to maintain her façade of normality when underneath thundered a firestorm of emotions.

He didn’t want her. He’d made that abundantly clear. Where did he get off, acting jealous now?

 _You kind of expected him to react that way, though._ A tiny, vindictive voice whispered in the back of her mind. _Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?_

Marinette poured herself a glass of dark red mystery juice and gulped it as her mind raced. No, she decided. This wasn’t at all what she wanted. Yes, she wished Adrien cared about her the way she cared about him, and she was perfectly happy to pretend not to notice Alya’s little hints and jibes, but there was nothing flattering or romantic about the pissy little shit Adrien turned into when he got upset with her like this. It was the same thing that happened during the Glaciator akuma, and again when they were battling Frozer. And it was merely a mood that took him every once in awhile, and it never lasted long, but she couldn’t help but feel that it was against the rules for him to act this way now, after everything that had happened.

 _He_ was the one who took dating off the table. He had no damn _right._

Determined not to let her sour-puss partner ruin her night, Marinette set out into the throng in search of a good time. She soon found Alya, who was helping Nino bask in the afterglow of his artistic success. She politely refused their offer of vodka (even though there hadn’t been an akuma for weeks, she couldn’t risk not being sober when one attacked) and drifted off to find other friends. She lollygagged from group to group like a directionless honey bee, until somehow she found herself alone with Luka in the bow of the ship.

 _Huh…_ Marinette thought. _When did that happen?_

Luka was talking to her, asking about her opinion of the film, telling her funny stories about the people in his band. She nodded along without really listening, folding her arms on the railing and resting her chin on her hands as she looked out at the river. She was tired. No, scratch that, she was exhausted _._ Even her skin felt heavy.

_Maybe I should go home…_

“Do you enjoy black and white cinema?”

“Sure.” Marinette roused herself enough to reply. “At least I’ve liked what I’ve seen of it.”

“Well, there’s going to be a special screening of The Third Man next Saturday. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?”

“Oh…” Marinette’s mind went blank, the space between her ears a sea of white fuzz as panic rose in her gullet. “Uh…”

 _You knew this would happen._ The tiny, vindictive voice was back with a vengeance. _You knew this would happen the second you let yourself wind up alone with him. Don’t pretend you weren’t expecting this._

Marinette looked up at Luka, at his kind eyes and his soft smile, and allowed herself a moment to imagine what it would be like to say yes. They’d go out, he’d be sweet to her and interested in her. Luka was one of those rare individuals who was easy to be around even when she had nothing to say. And he was cute, and she could finally satisfy her curiosity and find out how soft that smile _really_ was, and she always felt more mature and daring whenever she was around him. They might even be happy, for awhile. And eventually, inevitably, the lies would pile up and the unanswerable questions would be asked and it would all end in tragedy.

_But it would be sweet, for awhile…_

“Luka, I _really_ like you, but—”

“But I’m afraid the lady has another engagement that day. Actually, now that I come to think of it, she’s busy _every_ day.”

The white fuzz had scarcely cleared when Marinette was forced to reboot her brain once again by the arrival of none other than Chat Noir. He appeared suddenly, as if falling from the sky, and placed himself directly between Luka and Marinette, an almost manic grin on his face. Luka took a step back, alarmed by the wicked glint in his eerie green eyes. Marinette saw none of this, of course. All she saw was Chat’s back, taking up her entire field of vision.

 _…Okay. I admit it._ Whispered the tiny vindictive voice. _Neither of us saw **that** coming._

Though she could not see them, she could hear the other partygoers growing excited about the arrival of the superhero. She even saw Chat’s chest swell a bit at some of the more extravagant praise.

Cold rage swept through Marinette’s veins and her eyes went dead.

So he wanted to make a scene, did he?

Fine.

She’d give him a _scene_.

“Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste, whatever your name is, you have three seconds to knock this off, transform back and apologize.” She hissed so that only he could hear. “One, two…”

“Just a minute, bugaboo, I’m trying to have a conversation with Prince Charming over here.”

Marinette snapped.

Even safely hidden in her purse, Tikki could feel the change in her chosen. “Uh-oh.” She winced.

The crowd watched in shock and amazement as Marinette ducked under Chat Noir’s arm, spun around in front of him, planted both her hands on his breastplate and, without showing a flicker of doubt or fear, shoved the masked Protector of Paris into the Seine. He dropped like a cannonball, too shocked to do anything but fall. As soon as she heard the splash Marinette whirled on her heel and began stalking towards the ramp.

“Alya! Get your bag! We’re leaving!”

“Uh…right now?”

“NOW!”

The crowd parted before Marinette as she stormed off the boat and Alya jogged to catch up after a hasty farewell to Nino. Marinette distantly realized that she had forgotten to say goodbye to Luka, but she was too angry to care.

_How dare he? How **dare** he?!_

Not only was using your superhero persona to fulfill a jealousy fantasy a massive abuse of power, it was also a dick move.

Was Plagg in on it? If the kwami of destruction had given Adrien the green light for his little scheme, she would never forgive him. There would be no more camembert from _her_ fridge.

“Marinette! Please slow down and talk to me!”

Alya’s frantic cry broke through Marinette’s fury and she realized that she was barreling down slippery snow-covered streets and her friend was out of breath, trying to keep up. She came to a halt outside a dark, locked flower shop. Not much was open this time of night and the street was empty but for them.

“Sorry…”

“What _happened_ back there?” Alya asked as she caught her breath. “Why’d you push Chat Noir?”

“Because he was being a _dick.”_

“He’s a _superhero_ , Marinette. You can’t go around physically attacking _superheroes._ Do you have a death wish?”

“Oh, please. I could totally take Chat Noir in a fight, with or without powers.”

“Oh my god you _do_ have a death wish.” Alya shook her head despairingly. “Okay, well, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume he deserved it. But are _you_ okay?”

No, Marinette was nowhere near okay, but she couldn’t explain the cause of her distress to Alya without revealing herself as Ladybug and Adrien as Chat Noir. So she settled for:

“I’m okay. Just a little tired, that’s all.”

“Are you sure?”

Before Marinette could answer, they were interrupted by a whistle from down the street. The girls turned and Marinette’s jaw dropped for what felt like the tenth time that night as Adrien trotted up to them, his hair dry and a smug grin on his face.

“Hey.” He greeted them. “Alya, I can walk Marinette home if you want to go back to the party.”

“Really? Thanks!” Alya beamed. “That’s perfect!”

“But Alya—”

“Nuh-uh, Marinette! No arguments. This is your moment. Seize it.” Alya winked at her friend. Then she whirled on Adrien and grabbed his lapels. “Looks like you’ve got even more competition than we thought, sunflower.” She hissed. “Tic toc. Tic fricken’ _toc_.”

“Ha ha…” Adrien winced. “…yeah…”

Alya left them there, and as he stuck his hands in his pockets and searched for something to say, it occurred to Adrien that the only thing colder than the Seine in December was the look in Marinette’s eyes.

“If Alya knew who you were, she never would have left me alone with you.” Marinette pointed out, her voice bitter and tightly wound. “This is basically a kidnapping. Second time this month, I might add.”

“I know.” Adrien sighed. “I’m sorry, but I had to talk to you…and this seemed like the only way…”

He tried giving her his best model smile, which usually buttered her up enough to turn her warm and gooey, but this time it had no effect. At least, it did not have a positive effect. In fact, he was certain the temperature of the air between them dropped by another degree. So if his best model smile had any effect at all, it was a negative one. He gulped.

She was _really_ mad at him this time.

“Mari—”

“Get _away_ from me.”

Marinette spun around and continued stomping down the street. Adrien chased after her.

“I’m sorry!” He cried. “I shouldn’t have done that! I realize it was a jerky thing to do, honestly I don’t even know why I did it and—”

“I know why you did it.” Marinette spat. “You did what you _always_ do. You got jealous and then you got all pouty and you lashed out at me and you got it out of your system and now you’re fine and I’m supposed to pretend that nothing ever happened. But _not this time,_ Adrien!”

Adrien’s jaw dropped. “I don’t _always_ do that!” He gasped.

“Frozer.” Marinette snapped.

“That was _one_ time.”

“Glaciator.”

“That isn’t fair and you know it.”

“Copycat.” Plagg added, sticking his head out of Adrien’s pocket.

“Shut up, you.” Adrien hissed at his kwami. “You’re not helping.”

“She has a point.” Plagg muttered, but he obediently tucked himself back in.

“See! Even your kwami agrees with me!” Marinette cried victoriously, storming away even faster than before. Adrien put on an extra burst of speed and managed to get in front of her, forcing her to a sudden halt at the far edge of the park by her house. It had started to snow a few minutes earlier and the flurries danced over their boots as they stood facing each other a few feet apart, his expression pleading, her arms clasped protectively over her chest. She was shaking, all the pain and confusion and _why won’t he talk to me_ and _why doesn’t he want me_ and _why won’t he let me move on_ of the last four months hitting her at once.

“Are you cold?” He asked, automatically reaching for her. She jerked away from his outstretched hand.

“Don’t _fucking_ touch me.”

He froze, hurt lancing through his chest. For the first time, he considered the possibility that she wasn’t going to forgive him. Fear made him desperate.

“Marinette, I’m _sorry!”_

“How can you be sorry when you don’t even understand what you’re sorry _for?!”_

Desperation made him defensive.

“And you’ve got it all figured out, I suppose?” He scoffed.

“Sure do!”

“So what is it, then? Why don’t you explain to me what I’m thinking, since you’re so certain?”

“Here’s how I see things, Adrien…” Marinette’s eyes were burning, but she refused to let her tears fall. She hadn’t cried in front of him so far, she wasn’t about to start now. “The _second_ you found out Ladybug was Marinette, you lost interest. And that’s fine, because you can’t help the way you feel. But you do _not_ get to _punish_ me because _someone else_ actually _is_ interested!”

 _“What?!”_ Adrien flailed, mentally and physically. His hands waved through the air in furious denial. “ _None_ of that is true! I’ve never even tried to punish you—I wouldn’t!”

“What do you think storming off, yelling at me and then embarrassing me in front of all our friends is called—”

“I’m _sorry_ okay!”

“— _NOT TO MENTION PUTTING OUR IDENTITIES AT RISK IN THE PROCESS!”_

“Princess, please, you’ve got it all wrong—”

“Then _why_ , Chat? If being a territorial _asshole_ isn’t the reason you acted that way, then _why?”_

“I…”

Adrien stared at Marinette, shaken to his core. How could she not see it? How could she not know?

“Because…”

How could she not see how he followed her, fell for her, kneeled down before her and basked in her presence at every possible opportunity?

“B-because…”

How could she not know that every thought, breath and moment, every dream and every joy he held dear…hers. All hers.

“Because I love you…”

Adrien scarcely recognized his own voice as the words emerged from his mouth. It was a pathetic, pitiful mewl—like a stray dog whining for scraps.

“No.” Marinette replied instantly, her voice flat and deadened, her mouth twisted in a sour grimace. “You don’t.”

No supervillain had ever cut so deep.

“How can you say that?” He gasped. “I’m _telling_ you that I love you!”

“You don’t, though.” She shook her head. “You’ve made that _perfectly_ clear over the last four months and the _only_ reason you think you love me now is because you saw me kissing someone else and it freaked you out. Jealousy is not the same thing as love, Adrien.”

“M-milady, please—”

“Would it make you feel better if I kissed you too?” She started walking towards him and he backed away until his spine pressed against the black fence that wrapped around the park. The freezing metal bit through his jacket and pinched into the skin on his shoulder blades, but the front of his body burned as Marinette bore down on him. She grabbed his chin and held him firmly even as his knees buckled and he sank into the snowy drifts piling up around the posts. “Would it make you feel better if I put my hand around your waist, bent you over and stuck my tongue down your throat, like in the movie? Would that even the score?”

Adrien’s teeth clicked as his jaw swung open and shut. Unable to muster the power of speech, he couldn’t protest or argue or disagree or beg her to _yes, please, kiss me._ Marinette waited for a few seconds, searching his face for something she apparently didn’t find. Disappointment clouded her eyes and a tiny part of Adrien’s soul shriveled in response.

“That’s what I thought.” She muttered darkly.

 _Say something!_ Adrien’s brain screamed furiously at his mouth. _Fix this before it’s too late!_

 _But what am I supposed to say?_ His mouth asked.

_I don’t know! Think of something clever!_

_But that’s **your** job—oof!_

Adrien’s mouth was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Marinette’s lips.

The kiss lasted for a fraction of a second, but that was long enough for fireworks to go off in Adrien’s head. It was only once she pulled back that he realized the fireworks were going off above his head as well.

“Happy new year, Chat Noir.”

And that was how she left him, slumped over in the snow, blushing, stammering, and completely helpless to do anything but stare after her as she walked away. Eventually Plagg phased out of his pocket and harangued Adrien into getting up and heading home. Adrien followed his kwami’s instructions in a melancholy stupor, his mind racing as it processed new information.

_So…apparently…Marinette **does** still like me…but she doesn’t believe me that I love her...she doesn’t **believe** me…which means…she doesn’t **trust** me anymore…_

“Plagg…have I completely fucked this up?”

“Well, kid…you’ve been repeatedly breaking her heart and draining her emotional energy for the last four months with your indecision and erratic mood swings, so…yeah. Obviously.” Plagg sighed. “The good news is; trust can be rebuilt. The bad news is; it’s really fucking hard.”

“How do I fix this?”

“I dunno, kid. You’re asking the wrong cat.”

 


	4. the clock runs out

She refused to see him as Chat or Adrien the next day, and the day after that his father returned from Hong Kong and Adrien could no longer afford to spend all his time hanging around outside the bakery, staring forlornly at her balcony and pretending not to notice the pitying glances from her parents (not to mention the customers, some of whom had apparently gotten wind of the betting pool and wanted in on the action).

“Nathalie tells me you have been spending a great deal of time at the Dupain-Cheng bakery.” Gabriel said by way of greeting his son upon his return.

“Yes, father.”

“And you still maintain that you are not sexually or romantically involved with Marinette?”

“Yes, father.” Adrien blanched. “As I told you, we’re not dating.”

“Indeed. According to Nathalie, Marinette is refusing to even speak to you. She seems upset about something. Do you know anything about this?”

“We…we had a fight. It’s not important. It’ll blow over in a couple days.”

Lying to his father got easier and easier all the time.

“Hmm…very well. That is all.”

“Alright…welcome home, father.”

“Oh. Yes. Indeed. It is good to see you, Adrien.” His father replied awkwardly without looking up from the paperwork on his desk he was sorting. Adrien sighed and walked to his bedroom. Plagg emerged when the door shut and placed a sympathetic hand on Adrien’s cheek.

“What do you want to do here, kid?” Plagg asked quietly. “It’s your move.”

“She won’t even _look_ at me. How can I fix this if I can’t talk to her?”

“Well, what would you say if you could?”

“I don’t know.” Adrien sighed and began to pace his bedroom. “That I love her? But I already told her that and she didn’t believe me. That I’m sorry? She knows I’m sorry. According to her, she knows it better than I do. That I thought she didn’t like me that way? That I was acting distant because I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable? That I shouldn’t have gotten jealous and I won’t do anything to jeopardize our identities ever again?”

“Yeah.” Plagg nodded. “That all sounds great. Tell her that.”

“I can’t tell her _anything_ when she’s refusing to see me!”

“If you can’t tell her that you love her, _show_ her that you love her instead.”

“I’ve _tried!”_

“Well…maybe you need to try harder, kid. Because she clearly isn’t getting the message.”

 

***

 

Tikki _tried_ talking to Marinette. She tried and tried, but talking wasn’t helping. Marinette was heartbroken and the only person who could glue the pieces together again was Adrien—and Marinette was nowhere near ready to see him. She felt frozen to the core, and not merely because of the cold snap that hit Paris with the new year. She felt as if he’d reached deep inside her and turned her soul to stone. The only answer she gave Tikki, no matter how many times the kwami asked, was:

_It’s not fair._

And it wasn’t. Nothing about this situation was fair. It wasn’t fair for her to waste so much time and energy chasing someone who wasn’t interested in her. It wasn’t fair that she had to put all that hurt and confusion to the side and pretend it didn’t bother her, all for a city full of strangers who would never know her name. It wasn’t fair for Adrien to keep raising her hopes when she knew the inevitable crushing rejection was right around the corner. It wasn’t fair for her to use Luka’s affections as a salve for her wounded heart.

It wasn’t fair of Chat to want her _now._

Now, and not four months ago.

And why not four months ago? Why not right after the reveal? Why did kissing Luka in Nino’s movie suddenly make her more desirable in Adrien’s eyes?

True, Marinette didn’t have a lot of romantic relationship experience to draw on, but she had enough to know that was majorly fucked up.

She expected to feel angry, once the all-encompassing numbness began to recede.

“Maybe some fresh air would do you good?” Tikki suggested.

Marinette scarcely had energy to get out of bed, but at Tikki’s insistent urging (bordering on shrill haranguing) she agreed to take a turn around the park, at least so she would have something to write about in her diary that evening.

The snow had fallen thick and heavy the night before. The park was eerily beautiful—like being inside an undisturbed snow globe. Though mostly empty, Marinette noticed some neighborhood kids playing near the carousel, a few of whom she recognized. On a whim, she decided to investigate.

“Allo, Hassan.” She greeted the son of physics professor who lived next door to the bakery. “What are you up to?”

“Bonjour Marinette!” The six-year-old beamed at her. “We’re making snowminals!”

“Snowminals?” Marinette repeated, a shadow of amusement coloring her voice for the first time in days.

(Safely tucked inside Marinette’s purse, Tikki heaved a sigh of relief. _This is exactly the kind of distraction Marinette needs._ She thought. Then she noticed Marinette’s phone and thought: _Hmmm…wait a minute…_ )

“Yeah, cuz people are boring. Why make a snowman when we can make snow aminals? See?” Hassan pointed proudly at the lumpy mound of snow he’d been carefully shaping for the past half-hour. “It’s a stygimoloch!”

“What’s a stig-ee—uh, that thing you said?” Marinette asked politely.

“It’s a dinosaur! Well, technically it might be a juvenile pachycephalosaur but there is a lot of debate about that and the important thing is it looks super cool so—”

Marinette nodded along as the child explained, in great technical detail, his creation. She graciously agreed to research the peer-reviewed articles on dinosaur taxonomy debates that he recommended. She wisely refrained from calling him precocious, even within the safety of her own mind. When he had finished, he grabbed her hand in his mitten and dragged her to see the other children’s snow animals.

“This is a tiger! And see this one? This one is a sea turtle. I think that one’s probably the best, but only cuz it’s the easiest.”

“Is not!” Shouted the sea turtle sculptor, deeply offended. “Okay, important question, does anyone know where a turtle’s butt is?”

“What about this one?” Marinette asked quickly, pointing to a very small lump of snow.

“That’s a hamster.”

“…what…”

“A hamster? A hamster is a rodent. They’re small and fuzzy and—”

“Why…”

“What? Marinette?” Hassan frowned and glanced over his shoulder at the other children, who were just as baffled as he was. He held the big girl’s hand a little tighter. “Marinette? Are you crying?”

“Why would you make something like that?!” Marinette wailed as she dissolved into a puddle on the ground, dragging Hassan down next to her. The small child yanked his hand back as his friends drew closer, ready to jump in and grab him out of harm’s way if need be. “It’s just going to melt! It’s just going to end anyway! And then you’ll have _nothing left!_ Why even _bother?!”_ She buried her face in her hands as the dam finally broke and all the brightness came flooding out of her eyes.

“Uh…” Hassan awkwardly patted her shoulder. “Don’t cry Marinette. Do you want me to get your mom?”

“No…no…” Marinette shook her head, but her sobs were coming too hard to say anything more. Her entire body shook with the force of them, frightening the children clustered tightly around her.

“Look out!” Someone screamed, she couldn’t tell who.

They all looked up to see a tiny black butterfly bearing down on them.

_Get away from the kids._

That was Marinette’s first and only thought. The akuma was coming for her; she had to get as far away from the kids as possible. She might hurt them if it caught her. And she knew Hawk Moth wasn’t above using whatever innocent was convenient if he missed his target. She had to draw the akuma away from the kids. She scrambled backwards on her hands and feet until she hit the base of the carousel. She threw her arm up over her face as the butterfly closed in.

“NO!”

 

***

 

_Bzzt_

“You got a text.”

“I’ll look at it later.” Adrien groaned without getting up from the couch. Plagg drifted over to the phone and glanced at the text.

“It’s from Marinette.”

Adrien sat up.

“No, wait, I think Tikki wrote this.”

Adrien sagged with disappointment, but he was still listening.

“She says they’re in the park.”

He sat up a little straighter.

“She says you should come and try to talk to Marinette while she’s in a good mood.”

Adrien leapt off the couch and ran towards the door.

“Also you should put a coat on!” Plagg shouted after him. “And shoes! Adrien? Adrien! Oy! Wait for me!”

Adrien agreed to pause long enough to put on appropriate clothing, then dashed into the street—taking full advantage of his bodyguard’s brief use of the facilities to escape unnoticed. His heart tried to outrun his feet as he raced to the park. He still didn’t know what he was going to say or do, but if he could only _see_ her, just get her to _listen_ to him, then maybe…then hopefully…

He stopped at the entrance to the park, glancing around, trying to find his lady. That was when he saw the akuma flying overhead and his heart dropped into his stomach. He saw the butterfly heading towards a group of children, huddled closely together near the carousel. He began to run.

“Look out!” He tried to warn them. The children scattered as one of their number sand crabbed towards—no— _Marinette!_

“NO!” Adrien screamed as the akuma landed on Marinette’s snow-packed glove and the entire world came to a screeching halt.

Everything happened in slow motion. In absolute silence. In the void that only deep winter can provide.

Adrien flew. He sprung through the air and landed on Marinette a second after the butterfly. He was distantly aware that he was screaming—her name, princess, bugaboo, whatever he thought might reach her—but he couldn’t hear his own voice. She writhed beneath him, covering her face with one arm and repeatedly slamming the foundation of the carousel with the other—as if she was trying to shake the akuma out of her glove like it was the last dollop of ketchup in the bottle. The wooden horses jumped with every pounding. Adrien’s hands gripped her jacket, pulled her torso up to meet his as he straddled her thighs, trying to pin her down and lift her up at the same time.

“Fight it!” He begged her. “You have to fight it! Please! We can’t do this without y—”

_“Shut. Up.”_

Marinette’s arm shifted and he saw it—the glowing purple outline. Adrien’s gut further twisted itself into a few brand new knots that had never even been invented before.

Hawk Moth was listening to them. And if Adrien and Marinette weren’t extremely careful, they really were going to reveal their secret identities.

But there was reason to hope, as well. Because Marinette was still there, still fighting, and when Adrien looked beyond the purple shadow he could see an inferno of blue, summoning him to battle.

_Show, don’t tell._

Adrien maintained eye contact with Marinette as he slowly reached one arm around her torso and lifted her off the edge of the carousel. He sat down in her place and leaned against a wooden chariot as he carefully pulled her into his lap. His movements were swift, certain, confident. Repositioning them so she wasn’t so uncomfortable, half in the snow and trapped between his weight and a metal ledge, only took two and a half seconds. Marinette remained silent the whole time, her body tightly clenched against the magical intrusion. Adrien kept one hand firmly encircled around her wrist, ready to rip off her possessed glove, and he used his other arm to support her back.

“Marinette?” He whispered, needing some sign that she was still there.

Her face tilted towards his, like a flower following the sun. He searched her eyes until he found what he was looking for.

Adrien’s mouth bent, a smile forming entirely without his permission, as he dipped his head and kissed her. A gentle press at first, retreat, then press again. Coaxing and asking and adoring. He felt her fingers, pressed against his stomach, begin to unclench and unfurl. He hoped that was a good sign. He deepened the kiss, pouring everything he had into the action. Every ounce of dedication and focus. Every time he’d dreamed of doing exactly this under vastly different circumstances. Every memory of Ladybug that set his blood on fire, every recollection of Marinette that brought him to his knees. Every scrap of love and lust and desire and want and need and hope and fear and gratitude and respect…

And kinship. Companionship. Comrades. _Partners._ The promise that _you are not alone._

Everything Adrien had, he gave to Marinette.

And she drank it up like parched earth welcoming the rain. She reveled in his adoration and basked in his attention, and the more he drowned her in love the further the purple haze receded. She began to feel like herself again, Adrien’s kiss a lifeline. Her un-cursed hand flexed in his coat, and she was delighted to discover she had enough control over her motions to sit up and begin kissing him back. She felt something snap in the back of her psyche and then Marinette gasped into Adrien’s mouth and collapsed on top of him, shuddering.

“Marinette?” He whispered, his arms going around her as she panted into his clavicle. “Wha—oh…”

They both watched, silent and wide-eyed, as a white butterfly flew out of Marinette’s glove and vanished into the sky.

The park was empty. The children had fled, the snowminals destroyed in their haste. Other than the upturned mounds of snow, there was no sign of the cataclysm that had nearly befallen Paris. A passerby would never know how close the brave and valiant Ladybug had come to falling. If there had been a passerby, which there was not, they would have only seen a young couple enjoying an intimate moment on the merry-go-round.

Marinette turned her head and stared at Adrien, her hands still clasped in his coat, his arms still wrapped around her.

“Wow…” She breathed.

Adrien blinked once, his grip loosening ever so slightly with relief, and then his lips twitched. He smiled, then grinned. A diabolical smirk stretched the corners of Adrien’s mouth to his ears. Marinette could already tell what he was thinking—the words were practically painted on his face. She felt a fiery blush begin to work itself up her neck and she groaned.

“Don’t.” She warned him.

“Don’t what?” He replied gleefully. “Don’t point out that I just purified an akuma with the power of my love for you?”

 _“Don’t.”_ She repeated, letting her head fall into the crook of his neck and her body go lax against him. “Don’t ruin this, okay?”

Adrien’s smirk softened into a besotted smile as he rubbed her back and pressed his lips against her hair. “Okay…” He agreed, content to hold her in the peaceful quietness for a few more moments.

“ _Yeeaaah_ …that’s also _not_ what happened.”

Unfortunately, Plagg had other plans.

The god of destruction buzzed out of Adrien’s coat and glared at the young superheroes reproachfully.

“You can’t purify akumas by snogging, Adrien, so don’t start getting any funny ideas. Obviously, Hawk Moth rescinded the akuma.”

“He’s right.” Tikki emerged from Marinette’s purse, visibly shaken by the ordeal. “I don’t know why, but something made him change his mind.”

Marinette and Adrien shared looks of alarm.

“Do you think he figured out who we were?” Adrien whispered.

“I didn’t tell him anything.” Marinette replied doubtfully, her grip on Adrien’s coat tightening up again. “But what if he read my mind?”

“He can’t really do that. As long as you didn’t _intend_ him to know you were Ladybug, he shouldn’t have picked up on anything.” Plagg assured her in his uniquely gruff manner. “Mortals are wimpy like that.” Marinette nodded at the kwami, but she continued nervously chewing her bottom lip. Adrien crooked a finger under her chin and drew her attention back to him.

“What did he say to you?” Adrien asked.

“He said…” Marinette frowned. “Oh, he said lots of horrible things.”

“Like what?”

“Things that…I don’t agree with anymore.”

“Marinette, if you’re trying to protect my feelings—”

“Ugh. Fine.” Marinette tilted her face to the side, refusing to look at him. “He said that no one would ever love me. He mentioned that time my dad got akumatized, Nathaniel…he said I could make a world that looked the way I felt—frozen.” Her nose crinkled. “He seriously needs to start coming up with some new material.”

Adrien’s arms fell to his sides, allowing her to pull away if she desired. She remained where she was.

“Did I make you feel that way?” He asked, gutted.

“Adrien…” Marinette sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. “Haven’t I made you feel that way sometimes, too?” She settled herself a little more comfortably into his embrace as his arms slowly returned to their previous position. “I forgive you. And I still love you.”

“And I, you, milady…” He whispered as he dipped his head and sealed their promise with another scorching kiss.

Plagg made gagging sounds until Tikki grabbed him by the ear and dragged him into Marinette’s purse with her.

“They’re not taking this Hawk Moth situation at all seriously.” He complained.

“Hush.” Tikki giggled as she ripped open a packet of cookies Marinette had provided for her and offered Plagg a bite. She enjoyed playing the hostess and she rarely got an opportunity. “Let them have this.”

 

***

 

Gabriel was waiting for Adrien when he got home—right before dinnertime, cheek and nose chapped by cold, a deliriously delighted grin permanently attached to his face and pure joy radiating out of every pore. The beaming brilliance that was the afterglow of spending an entire afternoon making out with Marinette, first in the park and then later in her bedroom, _and then also getting to eat all the croissants he wanted afterwards oh my god how was this his life—_ was only slightly dimmed by his father’s dour demeanor.

“Adrien, where have you—” His father began to demand angrily, but to Adrien’s surprise Gabriel cut himself off and adjusted his glasses, as if he was trying to get his temper under control. “No, I know very well where you have been. And it is that very matter that I wish to discuss. Please come into my study.”

Heart sinking, Adrien followed his father into the office. The door swung shut like a coffin lid clanging down. Adrien tried not to flinch at the click.

 _I knew it was too good to last._ He thought glumly. _Here comes the pee talk again._

But then his father surprised him for the second time in as many minutes. Instead of lecturing Adrien about inappropriate relationships, or handing him a urinary sample cup and a pair of plastic gloves, his father presented him with a small stack of papers with a lawyer’s letterhead at the top.

“What’s this?” Adrien asked, skimming through the long paragraphs of complex legalese.

“It is a contractual document.” Gabriel shifted, visibly uncomfortable. “It stipulates that neither I nor any of my associates shall attempt to interfere in any way with your relationship with Miss Dupain-Cheng. It also lays out her responsibilities in regards to privileged information about the company that your relationship might provide her access to.” Gabriel cleared his throat. “She only needs to sign it.”

Maybe there was something in the air, because Adrien also had to clear his throat a few times before he was able to speak.

“I didn’t lie to you, when I said we weren’t dating. Nothing’s official yet. But…” He ducked his head, a blush building in his cheeks. “Thank you…” He looked up and gave his father his most dazzling smile. “For changing your mind.”

Gabriel’s left eye twitched.

“Yes, well…” He shifted his weight once again. “There is one other thing I wished to tell you.”

Adrien was immediately braced for the other shoe to drop, his smile dwindling in a flash.

“I’m going on vacation.”

Adrien blinked. That wasn’t what he’d expected at all.

“Vacation?”

“Yes. I leave in the morning.”

“But…you just got home today!” Adrien knew he should count it a win that his father had handed him his blessing to date Marinette in the form of a legally binding document—but he couldn’t stop the outrage that overtook him.

“That was work. This is a vacation.”

“But—”

“Adrien! Desist!” His father snarled, spinning around and stalking towards the portrait of his mother. Adrien watched him with a sour expression, knowing this gesture meant the conversation was over.

But then Gabriel surprised Adrien for the _third_ time.

He kept talking.

“I have been pursuing my goals for so long, I have lost sight of everything else. I very nearly made a grievous error today. I nearly crossed a line I do not think I would have recovered from crossing. I know you will not, _cannot,_ understand this now…but it is in everyone’s best interest that I…spend some time in quiet contemplation.” He glanced at Adrien over his shoulder. “Nathalie and I depart for Barbados in the morning. That is all.”

Adrien was dismissed. His freedom to pursue the girl of his dreams clutched tightly in his hand, he stumbled out of his father’s study and up the steps to his bedroom. As usual, Plagg appeared as soon as the coast was clear.

“Oh. My. _Me._ ” Plagg grinned. “ _Wow_ that is a lot to unpack right there.”

Adrien held up a finger, silencing his kwami. With his other hand, he slowly drew his phone from his back pocket.

“Who are you—”

“Shh!”

Plagg grumbled under his breath as Adrien pressed the phone to his ear.

“Hey. My dad’s running off with his secretary to the Caribbean. Can I come over to your place for dinner?”

 

***

 

A blast of warm air buffeted Adrien as Marinette opened the door and ushered him into the stairwell.

“Hey there. Long time no see.” She chuckled as he eagerly leaned down to peck her on the cheeks. “It’s been, what, thirty-seven minutes?”

“Far too long to be separated, I agree.” He winked.

“My parents know you’re coming…” Marinette glanced up the stairs, making sure they weren’t being spied on by her overeager parental units. “No headaches tonight?”

“Nope.” He grinned. “I have something I want you to sign, but that can wait until after dessert.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for this? The whole couple thing?” She asked. She was almost certain his answer was yes, but she wanted to check in one last time.

“Yes. I’m sorry for making you wait, Ladybug.”

“It’s alright, Chat Noir, you’re here now.”

 

***

 

 

**_Epilogue_ **

****

“This _suuuuuuuucks…”_ Alya groaned into the wood of her desk.

“Tell me about it.” Alix agreed from behind her. “I thought for sure with all that scheming and plotting you and Nino did, one of you was boundto win.”

“They _have_ to get together _sometime!”_ Kim argued.

“Yeah!” Nathaniel agreed. “How much money is riding on this now?”

“We’re up to 2,034 euros.” Max, keeper of the books, informed them.

“We can’t let Chloe win the money!” Alix cried, climbing onto her chair and raising her fist into the air.

Nino checked the time. Two minutes before the bell rang, class officially started, and the holiday break officially came to an end. He stood up and glanced out the window into the hallway, where he saw two familiar figures coming up the stairs.

“Oh please.” Chloe sniffed, crossing her arms and looking smug. “Like Marinette would _ever_ work up the courage to _actually_ confess.”

“Screw you, Chloe.” Alya hissed. “ _Screw. You.”_

“You’re just mad cuz your little new year’s plan didn’t work.”

“A-HEM.” Nino cleared his throat loudly and dramatically enough that he had everyone’s undivided attention. He raised three fingers. “Three, two, one, and…” The door opened and in walked Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste, hand in hand and so busy staring at each other, and _not_ looking where they were going, that they both walked into opposite sides of the door frame.

The bell rang. Break was over. And it was clear to everyone present, Marinette and Adrien were  _finally_ together.

The class stared at Nino.

Nino bowed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!  
> -
> 
> Alya's response: *slams hands on table* THAT'S MY MAN!
> 
> Also, at some point Marinette properly communicates to Luka that she won't be going to movies to him, in case you were worried.
> 
> \--
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this story! I wanted to take a break from reveals for a bit.


	5. epilogue part two

After Hawk Moth failed to akumatize Marinette, he launched his most diabolical plan yet.

It didn’t seem that way at first. For a long time, they heard nothing, saw no hair nor shade nor wing-flap of the black butterflies and their master. Then, a few days after Adrien learned that Gabriel was extremely happy in Barbados and was planning on settling down there and becoming a purveyor of organic vegan beverages, Master Fu received a mysterious package in the mail. Contained within, to everyone’s great surprise, was the Moth and Peacock Miraculous.

Cause for celebration, right?

_Wrong._

Because as it turned out, the Peacock kwami was kind of a terrible person. Not like Chloe-level terrible, no, and it wasn’t because of her injuries either. Yeah, sure, she was broken or whatever, but _dude_ she was like straight up evil. Within 24 hours of being placed back in the Miracle Box, she had broken the magical bindings, busted out and drained the blood from the pig kwami in the process. And as Plagg explained, kwamis didn’t even have blood. She had somehow managed to put blood _inside the kwami_ for the sole purpose of taking it back out again.

Why? For shits and giggles, as far as anyone could tell.

Marinette and Adrien both agreed that they preferred Hawk Moth. At least he never seemed like he was enjoying himself.

The Peacock was not the only kwami that escaped that night. Many emerged from the phonograph and vanished into the darkened alleyways and catacombs of Paris before Master Fu awoke and put a stop to the exodus. Fortunately, she was the only kwami driven by some mysterious and as-yet-unknown darker purpose. The others only wanted to have fun, which was often obnoxious and inconvenient, but usually not dangerous or long-lasting. It was up to Ladybug and Chat Noir to save the day and, these days, that usually meant rescuing unsuspecting civilians from being possessed by mischief-bent kwamis.

For example:

Someone, they had no idea who yet, but _someone_ amongst the still-missing kwamis had decided it would be _hilarious_ if they possessed Luka and used their magic powers to turn all the pigeons in Paris into toads. Giant, lumpy, warty cane-toads were, all of a sudden, falling from the sky and going splat on the pavement all over the city. People and small dogs had been injured, roads and trains were closed, children were traumatized. It was disgusting, it was horrifying, it was more than a little ghoulish. The _noises._ The _smells._ The _bulging vacant dead-eyed amphibian stares._

Sometimes, Marinette was really grateful that her powers came with a self-cleaning function.

“Chat, will you take Luka home while I deal with this mess?” Marinette asked once the battle was over and the impish kwami was contained.

“But—” Chat glanced at Luka, who was doubled-over dry heaving at the mounds of twitching toad carcasses that surrounded them. He hadn’t seen the older boy since the party, as Adrien or as Chat Noir. Also, he loved watching Ladybug work her mojo and he didn’t have as many chances to enjoy the view now that Hawk Moth was retired. Still, he had a duty to perform, so he nodded and swept Luka into his arms before jumping over the rooftops.

Adrien ran as fast as he could, hoping to reduce the window for awkwardness by as many minutes as possible. When he reached the waterfront, he set Luka down behind the dockmaster’s hut and stepped back with a brusque nod, readying his baton to depart once again.

“Thanks for the ride.” Luka said quietly, staring at Chat with a touch of trepidation in his winter-river-eyes. “That was…I’ve never seen the city from that perspective before. It was…” A dreamy smile crossed Luka’s soft mouth. “…Miraculous.” He winked at Chat. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Uh…y-yeah…” Chat’s heart was pounding. Why was his heart pounding? Wait—was he _blushing?_ “Look, about what happened last time, I—”

“Don’t worry about it.” Luka shook his head and stretched out a hand to clasp Adrien’s leathered shoulder reassuringly. “Love makes fools of us all sometimes, right? I get it.” His hand rose to brush a strand of hair away from Adrien’s mask. “Actually, I think I get it a little better now.”

“Get what?” Chat whispered. He was _definitely_ blushing by now.

“What Marinette sees in you.” Luka’s voice was so close it was as if he was speaking directly to Adrien’s soul. Chat’s vision swam and his knees wobbled as he began to drown in those winter-river-eyes. Then Luka pulled away and the moment ended as suddenly as it began. “Fair warning though, I think her new boyfriend is the jealous type.” Luka winked again and set off towards home. “Take it easy, Chat Noir.”

Adrien’s jaw dropped as he watched the older boy walk away, and that was how Ladybug found him a few minutes later.

“Everything alright?” She asked as she landed softly in the shadows beside him.

“…is it just me…” Chat slowly turned his head to stare at her questioningly. “Or is Luka kinda sexy?”

Ladybug blinked a few times, then threw her hands into the air and stalked off. “I can’t leave you alone for _five minutes,_ can I?” Chat laughed and followed her as their jewels began to beep.

“I’m not saying he’s my type, I’m just saying he’s _objectively_ cool. Oh man—remember last week when you had to kiss Kagami to wake her up from that enchanted sleep? If that happens to Luka, I call dibs.”

“No, no, no.” Ladybug wagged her finger at him. “You don’t get to call dibs. That’s not how this works.”

“Why is it you always get to magically kiss cool people like me and Kagami but I only ever seem to end up magically kissing Chloe? I’ve _earned_ my dibs.”

“If you get to call dibs on kissing Luka, then I get to call dibs on kissing Clara Nightengale.”

“That’s not fair!” He gasped as his transformation gave way. “How am I supposed to find someone even cooler than Clara Nightengale to kiss?”

“You can’t. I win. That’s the point.” She giggled as her transformation also dissolved.

Adrien grinned as his girlfriend’s face came back into view.

“Oh wait.” He chuckled as he snagged her waist and pulled her towards him. “I think I already found her.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I added another epilogue. Partially cuz the more I thought about it the more I wanted to show that Adrien did reflect and adjust his behavior and also that his jealously was more motivated by insecurity than by being territorial. And also partially cuz I originally published this at 8 o'clock on New Year's Eve without thinking and.....that is not a great time to publish a fic. Especially one you're really proud of. <3
> 
> So I hope you enjoyed this small addendum.


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